Charlie and Amita
by Ivette Boveda
Summary: Just after returning home from England, Amita and Charlie's life gets turned upside down.  Last Chapter Posted!
1. Chapter 1

Charlie held the envelope in his hand. The results inside could change his and Amita's life forever.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Amita asked .

Instead of answering her, his mind wandered off to how it all began...

_It was the day after their return to Pasadena from England. _

_They slept soundly,, when they heard knocking._

_"uh...?" Charlie mumbled._

_The knocking continued; a bit more loudly._

_"Who is it?" Amita groaned._

_"Me." Alan said. "Is Charlie awake?"_

_"I am now." Charlie sat up._

_"I need to talk to you, Charlie. It's kinda urgent."_

_"Why?"_

_"I'll explain when you come out. Amita, go back to sleep. I'm sure you're still jet lagged from the trip."_

_"Just go talk to him." Amita advised, suspicious, that Alan told her to go back to sleep._

_"Fine." Charlie put on some sweat pants, and a shirt he found on the floor. Then he came out of the room._

_"What is it, Dad?"_

_"There's a woman, with a child, in the living room."_

_"And?"_

_"She claims that you're the kid's dad."_

_"What?" Charlie said more loudly than he intended." Let me talk to her."_

_Charlie, impatiently went down the stairs before Alan could protest._

_Charlie asked the woman "Who are you?"_

_" Rose Connell's sister."_

_"Rose Connell?" Charlie repeated._

_"So you did know her!"_

_"I'm not admitting anything." Charlie said, and looked at the boy, who had black, curly hair, and dark eyes._

_"The Kid's name is Hugh." the woman said._

_"What's going on?" Amita ran down the stairs. Alan followed suit._

_"Uh...this woman claims that the child next to her is mine and that she's the sister of an ex girlfriend." Charlie said nervously._

_Amita just looked at him, stunned._

_"My sister told my mother that a Charles Eppes, a math professor, was the Hugh's father." the woman insisted. Look, I'll leave you my information, so that we can set up an appointment to do a DNA test. I'll happily give permission. I'll also wrote down the name of the prison, where Rose is at, but good luck getting anything outta her."_

_With the confused. boy in tow, the woman left. As soon the the door closed, Amita started. "What the hell, Charlie? I can't believe this is happening! Weren't you careful?"_

_"I was...mostly" Charlie said._

_"Mostly? So I can expect more of these humiliations?"_

_"No no no no!" Charlie insisted._

_"Don't you realize what you've gotten yourself into?"_

_"I know..."_

_"No you don't!" Amita snapped. "What are you gonna do now?"_

_Just then, Don came in.  
_

_"Hey guys! Who was that leaving the house?"_

_"Donnie!" Alan exclaimed with relief. "That was some woman, claiming that Charlie was the father of her nephew!"_

_"What? Hold on! Father?"_

_"Your brother" Amita seethed "has gotten himself into some trouble."_

_"Calm down and tell me what's going on?" Don firmly, but gently told everyone._

_Alan told him about the the two visitors and what the woman had said._

_"She must be pretty damn sure that you're the dad, if she's willing to agree to a DNA test." Don mused. "Did you go out with the kid's mom?"_

_"Briefly" Charlie admitted._

_"How long ago?"_

_"Eight years ago."_

"Charlie?" Amita's voice brought him back to the present.

"Oh..Right.." Charlie opened it, and read the results_._

"Well?" Amita hinted as Charlie just stared at the results.

"I-I'm Hugh's father._"_

TBC_  
_


	2. Chapter 2

"Now what?" Amita asked.

"Robin gave me the name of a good family lawyer." Charlie replied.

As they drove home in silence, Amita remembered how Charlie had made the fateful decision.

_"I'm gonna do that DNA test." he told Amita, Don, and Alan "I need to get this nagging doubt out of my mind."_

_"I'd do the same thing." Don nodded._

_"What if he is your son?What are you gonna do?" Amita asked._

_"Bring him here to live with us" Charlie replied._

_"Live with us?" Amita repeated  
_

_"Of course!"  
_

A few days later, the couple went to see the lawyer, a Cuban American woman, named Gloria Martinez who has short, black hair. They met in her office on Wilshire boulevard and explained the situation to her.

"You'll have to jump through a lot of hoops."

"Why? He's my son!" Charlie demanded.

"I'm afraid that's how the system works, since you came late into the picture."

"What can we do to convince the social workers that we are fit to take care of Hugh?" Charlie asked.

"Being married helps. Do you have a spare room to give him?"

"Yes" Charlie said. "We live in a very nice house in a good neighborhood."

"So the current legal guardian won't put up a fight?"

"No" Charlie shook his head.

The lawyer gave them more advice " You'll have to present yourself in court, and Department of Children and Family Services will investigate your life and check out your home. Legal Custody will stay with them during the transition period, where they'll be making sure the child is adjusting well to living with you."

After leaving the lawyer's office, Charlie suggested, "Let's get stuff for his room."

"Sure." Amita agreed.

First, the couple went to the Home Depot to get some paint.

"What do you think?" Charlie held up a strip with a light blue paint.

"I like it."

"That's what you said about the other sample."

"They're all fine." Amita insisted.

"I can't make up my mind." Charlie complained.

"How about that one?" Amita quickly suggested a greenish blue color.

"Sure."

Then it was on to IKEA for the dresser and bed frame. They planned to put the boy in Don's old room, which was, at the moment used as a storage area.

They looked around in the kid's section of IKEA.

"So many choices." Charlie mused.

"How about that one?" Amita pointed to a plain looking bed frame.

"I don't like it." Charlie disagreed.

"It doesn't have to be fancy." Amita said. "We need something that he won't outgrow, and that's not too hard too assemble."

"How about that one?" Charlie pointed to a dark blue twin sized bed frame.

"It'll go with the paint." Amita shrugged.

"Let's get it then."

The couple got the number of the model, and went on to look for a dresser.

"This is almost like shopping for a baby." Charlie remarked.

"Well, this way we can practice." Amita agreed

"I still can't believe it," Charlie shook his head. "I've got a kid. There's so much to do."

"One step at a time." Amita said. "Let's decide on a dresser."

After a while they did, made their purchases, and went home.

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That night, Charlie talked with the aunt, and arranged a visit.

"You can see him tomorrow." she promised. "I know that you'll provide him with a good home. I did my research. As I said before, I'd keep him, but I live in a bad neighborhood and just can't handle him. Having his mother in jail has caused him to act up at school. To make things worse, just two days ago, he pretended to have cancer in order to sell more lemonade. Wore a scarf over his head and everything! I made him give the money to charity, apologize to the neighbors, and go with nurse friend of mine to the children's ward at County."

"Hopefully he learned his lesson." Charlie said.

"I hope so."

Finally, with Amita at his side, drove to South Central Los Angeles. Stopping in front of the house, Charlie just sat there nervously.

"It'll be fine." Amita put his arm around him. "Like your Dad said, you're still in time to make a difference in his life."

"I don't know if I'm ready." Charlie worried.

"You'll do fine." Amita assured him. "You've got your dad to help you."

Charlie opened the car door,"Let's go."

Tentatively, he knocked on the door; Amita stood right next to him.

The door opened, and the aunt, named Sarah, opened smiled and welcomed them. "Come in. Would you like anything?."

"No thank you." Amita said as she and Charlie sat down.

"Hugh!" Sarah called. "Come to the living room."

Eventually, a little boy, with the black, curly hair, and dark eyes came into the living room.

"Hi" he said, sizing up his father.

"Hi!" Charlie said awkwardly.

"We heard that you're seven years old?" Amita asked to make conversation.

"Yeah."

"I was thinking the three of us could eat at McDonald's and see a movie?" Charlie suggested.

"I like Burger King better." the boy said.

"Hugh!" Sarah scolded.

"It's fine." Charlie assured her.

"We'd better get going, so we have enough time to eat before the movie." Amita suggested.

"Let's go." Charlie agreed, and got up.

"Behave yourself." Sarah whispered to the boy.

The trio went in the car, and Amita drove so that father and son could talk.

"What grade are you in?"

"I'm going into second grade." Hugh replied.

"Great!" Charlie smiled.

"What subject do you like?"

"None."

"None?" Charlie repeated.

"School is boring."

"Maybe it's too easy?" Charlie asked hopefully.

"Dunno."

"What do you like to do when you're not in school?"

"Play video games, watch tv, write to my mom." the boy said, "but my video games and computer got taken away."

"Taken away?" Charlie repeated.

"When they took my mom to jail." the boy complained. "And all my toys too. Aunt Sarah won't buy me any."

"I'm...sorry to hear that." Charlie commiserated.

"When people with guns came to our apartment." The boy looked away. "One of them took her away, and some mean lady picked me up."

"How was she mean?" Amita asked.

The boy explained. "She wouldn't let me visit mom, or get my stuff."

He looked out the window, and the ride to Burger king continued in silence.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

As Charlie, Amita, and Hugh drove in silence towards the Burger King near the movie theater, Charlie recalled the last time he was in Rose's apartment.

_Charlie woke up to the noise of vomiting. Concerned, he asked from bed, "Are you okay?" _

_"Fine.." She muttered after a pause and rinsing her mouth. Rose got out of the bathroom_. _Her medium brown hair hung loose__"Must have been something from the take out."_

_"Maybe..." CHarlie sat up._

_"Who's Amita?" she asked,suddenly. Her deep blue her stared right into him.  
_

_"Amita?" He repeated uncomfortably._

_"You said her name in your sleep." Rose crossed her arms._

_"No one. " Charlie insisted nervously.  
_

_"Liar" Rose shook her head. "She's probably a student or a colleague, which is it?_

_"Student." Charlie admitted, but argued. "But I don' even remember what I dreamed about. Maybe my dream was about teaching." He didn't mention that Amita was a favorite graduate student on whom he had a slight crush, and he had just agreed to be her disertation advisor next year._

_"I doubt it. Not going by the tone." She frowned._

_"I've been thinking, ...I don't think that this will work out." Charlie said, not looking at her_

_"Why?"_

_"All we do is eat, and then its straight to **bed."**_

"_Yeah so?"_

_"I want more."_

_" You want someone to discuss math theories with? Huh? Maybe you should hook up with Amita then."_

_"Rose!Come on!" Charlie protested. " Anyway my mom needs me."_

_Just then, His cell phone rang._

_"Hello?"_

_Don seethed. "Mom has her chemo appointment in ten minutes. Where the hell are you?"_

_"Working on a project." Charlie lied. "I'll be there."_

_"Don't bother." Don furiously hung up the phone._

_"Who was that?"_

_"My brother."_

_"The one who lives in New Mexico?"_

_"Yeah...he came home to help with with my mother._

_"At least you got some support."_

_"He says its until mom gets better, but..." Charlie swallowed. "I heard him talking to a moving company last night."_

_Rose put a hand on his shoulder. "Go home. Be with your mother."  
_

Amita's announcement that they were at Burger King interrupted his thoughts.

After an employee took their order, the trio sat down in a booth.

"So, uh...what has your aunt told you about me?" Charlie asked.

"That you're my dad and that you'll take better care of me than she will." the boy replied. "And that my mom couldn't find you. That's why you didn't know about me."

"I'm so sorry!" Charlie said somberly. "If I had known, I would have been there sooner."

"Are you my dad's girlfriend?" the boy asked Amita, suddenly.

"She's my wife." Charlie corrected him. "And your stepmother."

"I'm not trying to replace your mother." Amita assured the boy, and gave Charlie a sharp glare.

Just then, their number was called.

"I'll get it." Charlie got up.

When the food came, everyone dug in. Soon, the boy asked, "What movie are we gonna see?"

"It's about a boy who goes on an adventure to save his baby brother." Amita replied,and looked at her watch. "We should finish eating in twenty minutes."

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At the movie theater, Charlie bought a large popcorn, and three medium sodas.

After the movie, the couple brought the child back to his aunt's house.

"Amita and I already fixed up a room for you." Charlie told the boy as they walked towards the front door. "Soon, you'll get to met Grandpa Alan, Uncle Don, and soon to be aunt, Robin."

"I gotta another grandpa?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah."

"Here's my cell number." Charlie gave Hugh a piece of paper. "Call me anytime. If I don't answer, leave a message and I call you back as soon as I can."

"Okay."

Aunt Sarah came out, thanked the couple, and sent Hugh to the house.

"By the way." She told them "I told Hugh that his mother couldn't find you, because I didn't want him to know that, well, Rose didn't want you to know about Hugh."

Charlie nodded.

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Some time passed, and Charlie, with Amita and his lawyer beside him, went to court to start the process of getting custody of the boy. The judge assigned a social worker to Hugh's case.

Before the couple knew it, they were subject to interviews and home inspection.

The week after, they were interviewed by Sharon, the social worker assigned to Hugh.

"So both of you teach and consult?" she asked them, looking at the file. They were in her plain, windowless cubicle.

"Yes." Charlie replied. "But we'd be willing to cut down on our consulting."

"Amita, how do you feel about raising another woman's child?" Sharon, a blonde with brown-hazel eyes asked bluntly.

"I'm fine with it." Amita said.

"It's hard enough being patient with one's own children" She pointed to a picture of some children, presumably hers, on her desk. "Let alone someone else's."

"I'm willing to take on the challenge and give that little boy a stable home life." Amita replied.

"His own aunt doesn't want to take care of him. He's difficult" the social worker challenged.

Charlie, despite his best efforts, started to grow annoyed. "Look, he's my son, and we've shown you that we can provide a stable home life. What more do you want? Would you rather give him to strangers who only take him in to gain a little extra cash?"

"I'll need to see your home." Shraron said.

"Fine with us."

They set a date for the home inspection.

On they day before the social worker's visit, Amita, Charlie and Alan cleaned the house from top to bottom. The results made them proud.

"This place looks like a home from Architectural digest." Alan tiredly smiled.

"Hopefully, this will impress the social worker." Charlie commented

0909090

Sharon, came into the Craftsman the very next morning.

"Welcome to our Home." Charlie said.

"Is this a craftsman?" She asked.

"Yeah." Charlie replied.

"I used to live in one." Sharon said.

"Really?" Amita asked.

Charlie piped up,"You know, I uh..grew up in this very house."

"Did you?"

"Yeah. I bought it off my father a few years back." Charlie explained.

WIth the the couple gave their tour, and ended it with the back yard.

"I see you have a koi pond." Sharon remarked.

" I'd be willing to put a barrier around it." Charlie replied quickly, kicking himself.

"It's not that deep." Amita added.

"And the fish are harmless." Charlie said.

"It's fine." Sharon assured them.

098080980

Finally, after the Fall semester started at Cal SCi, Sharon called.

"You can have temporary custody of Hugh."

"That's great! Thank you!" CHarlie exclaimed.

"DCFS will still have legal custody, at least for while, but you can take him home." With that, Sharon hung up.

Happily, Charlie ran to where Amita taught a lower division course.

He waited at the doorway until she looked his way during the lecture.

Charlie mouthed, "We have custody."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Finally, the day for Hugh to move in came. Amita and Charlie went to Sarah's house to pick him up. The boy waited for them with a duffel bag.

"Hi!" he said.

The couple greeted him back. After saying goodbye to his aunt Sarah, he got into the car.

"Are you sure you got everything you need?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Hugh replied.

98989

Soon, they arrived at the house. Don and Robin talked in the living room, while Alan cooked.

"Hugh, you remember Uncle Don and Aunt Robin?" Charlie asked as he, Amita and the boy came in.

"Hi Hugh!" Robin smiled. Don greeted the boy as well.

"I'm gonna put his bag in your room, sit down, relax," Charlie told the boy, who had visited the Eppes home once before.

"Grandpa Alan is making your favorite, mac and cheese," Amita told Hugh.

"Cool!"

Alan then came out of the kitchen to greet his grandson.

"Hugh! How are ya?"

"Okay."

090909

The six eventually had dinner in the dining room. Hugh liked the mac and cheese, but it couldn't compare to his mother's.

For desert, there was store bought pound cake. It went well until Charlie brought up occupations.

"Hugh, Aunt Robin is a lawyer, but for the government, and Uncle Don works for the FBI."

"The cops for the whole country?" Hugh sniffed. "People from the FBI took my mom and toys away. "

"They were just doing their jobs," Don said gently.

"That's what the mean lady said. She said that mom did stuff she wasn't supposed to do."

"More desert anyone?" Alan piped up, seeing no solution to the argument.

"I'll take like a second piece," Amita said.

"Anyway, I'm a mathematician, as you know," Charlie continued.

"I don't like math," the boy said. "It's boring."

"You just haven't gotten to the good stuff, yet," Charlie argued.

"Little Buddy, why don't you come with me to work one day?" Don asked Hugh, "I'll show you around. You could see what the FBI really does. It helps and protects people by catching bad guys. "

Hugh exclaimed defensively, "My mom is not a bad guy!"

Robin gave Don a warning glare. "Why don't we play a game?"

"How about UNO?" Amita thought it as a game the boy could play.

09890890809

The couple enrolled Hugh in the elementary school near their home, as it had better academic scores and it was closer to them.

"Hugh! Get up!" Charlie called out on the first day of the new school.

"Okay," the boy groaned and got up. Thankfully, Charlie did not have class until nine in the morning, so he made Hugh some oatmeal.

When the boy finally came to the dining room, dressed, he groaned. "I don't like oatmeal. I want coco puffs."

"Too much sugar," Charlie said.

With a sour face, he ate his oatmeal, and then it was time to go.

Charlie dropped him off, and then went to work.

After school, Hugh stayed in the after school program until four, when Amita picked him up.

"How was school?" she asked.

"Okay. We gotta class pet."

"Really?"

"A rat."

"What's its name?"

"Mortimer."

"How's the teacher?"

"She gave too much homework," Hugh complained.

"It's for your own good," Amita promised.

Hugh started playing a video game right when they got home.

"What about your homework?" Amita asked pointedly.

"Later."

"Now. Turn that off," she said firmly.

"Okay."

0980980989008908

Less than a week later, the principal called Charlie, and asked him to come to the school right away.

Charlie did so, and saw his son, sitting with a pout, on a chair in the office.

Before he could ask the boy anything, the secretary asked, "Are you Dr. Eppes?"

"Uh..yes.."

"The principal is ready to see you."

"Thanks." Charlie gave his son a look and walked towards the office marked "Principal". Then he knocked.

"Come in."

Charlie opened the door, to see a middle aged woman with salt and pepper hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a pantsuit. Near her aging desk stood a very full bookshelf.

After some polite greetings and introductions, Charlie asked, "What seems to be the problem?"

"Your son, Hugh, was caught selling pencils full of glitter during recess." She pulled them out of a drawer. "He charged two dollars each for them."

"Two dollars?" Charlie recognized the plain pencils he had bought the boy under all the glitter.

"When I had a chat with him, he said that it was for his mother's Christmas present."

"Ms. Wong, I am very sorry about my son's behavior," Charlie tried to explain. "It's just that his ...mother is in jail, and I only recently was made aware of his existence. DCFS just gave me physical custody, not too long ago."

"Do you have any other children?" Ms. Wong asked.

"No."

"What your son did was essentially put glitter all over some pencils and overcharge for them. That is a learned behavior."

"I assure you that he will unlearn it," Charlie promised. "He'll refund everyone who bought a pencil from him."

"He can return to class, tomorrow."

"You're going to suspend him?" Charlie worried.

"No, but he needs time to think about what he did. I had another student get him his homework."

"Thank you."

090909

During the ride back to Cal Sci, Charlie had a serious talk with Hugh.

"I thought you needed those pencils! You lied!"

"I just wanted to get my mom a Christmas present," the boy pouted.

"If you wanna earn money, then maybe you could help around the house more."

"Okay..."

"There'll be no TV or video games for a week."

During Charlie's next class, Hugh worked on homework. Afterwards, Amita came to Charlie's office with lunch.

"Why aren't you at school?" Amita asked the boy.

"He got into trouble for selling pencils with glitter," Charlie told her. "He can't watch TV or play video games for a week."

"Sounds reasonable," Amita said to show a united front in front of the boy. "Anyway, I brought lunch. I'll split my sandwhich with Hugh."

After lunch Hugh, wrote his mother a letter, while Charlie lectured in one of his graduate level courses.

_Dear Mom,_

_ I liked your story about the sikic kid. It was cool. My new school is okay. The principal is mean. She sent me home for seling pensils during resess. Aunt Sarah calls sometimes. Dad wont' let me watch tv or play video games for a week. Dad is nice though. I miss you._

_Love,_

_Hugh_

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: I Edited Chapter 2 Slightly, so that Hugh is in second grade,and that the kid's mom is not in Idaho, but in a Federal Prison in LA._

At Alan's suggestion, Charlie asked the boy the following night at dinner, "Are there any sports that you like? I was thinking of signing you up for one."

"Soccer," the boy said.

"Fine. I'll see about signing you up with AYSO," Charlie said

"Okay," Hugh said, and then changed the subject. "Could you mail something for me?"

"Sure."

"It's a letter for my mom."

"Alright," Charlie nodded. "I'll drop it off tomorrow."

"Thanks."

After dinner, Hugh did his homework on the dining room table, while Amita graded quizzes across the way from him. Charlie watched a game with his father.

All too often, Hugh's mind wandered, and before he knew it, he remembered the night his world changed forever.

_He had woken up from an odd dream, and now wanted to go to the bathroom, but resisted going as he was sleepy and the bed was cozy. He tried to get back to sleep, but the urgency finally won out. Reluctantly, he got out of bed and sleepily walked towards the bathroom, when he heard the front door of the apartment slam open._

_"FBI!" someone yelled. Others followed the figure into the room where his mother slept, yelling, "FBI! Don't move." Soon, they all came out, with his mother, hands behind her back._

_She turned to him. "Honey! It'll be okay." _

Alan interrupted his thoughts, "Aren't you gonna finish your homework?"

"Yeah...," Hugh quickly replied.

"It's not gonna finish itself," Alan reminded him, as he went into the kitchen proper to get a beer.

Hugh worked on homework for a while, but then decided to eat an apple. So he went to get one from the fruit basket, as well as a large knife. For as long as he could remember his mother had sliced the apples for him, and so that's the way he preferred to eat them. As he cut the first slice, he wistfully thought of how nicely his mother's slices came out when he felt a pain on his finger while trying to cut a second slice, causing him to yell out.

The three adults ran in. Alan, without a word, got the boy's hand, and wrapped it in paper towels. Blood seeped all over.

"Charlie! Get the car ready!" Alan ordered. "Amita! Get me some towels!"

The couple obeyed him. Alan wrapped Hugh's hand with the towels, and led him towards Charlie's car. They went to the Emergency Room of the nearest hospital. After checking in and some waiting, they were led to a bed with curtains around it. Then, a nurse had Hugh soak his finger in some solution.

"It's to clean out the wound," the nurse said. Finally, after another while, the doctor, a middle aged man, came in.

"Hello, I'm ." He introduced himself and looked at the chart, then the boy. "And you're Hugh?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"I cut my finger."

"He apparently was trying to cut an apple with a large knife," Alan told the doctor.

The doctor looked at the wound; it looked as if the boy had almost sliced off part of his left index finger. Charlie cringed inwardly, as did Amita.

"This will need a few stitches, but he'll be fine," the doctor assured them and turned to Hugh. "I'm going to give you an injection so that it won't hurt to put on the stitches."

"Okay."

"The shot itself will hurt a little bit. I'll need you to be brave."

"Okay."

Hugh winced as the doctor injected him with the local anesthetic, but almost managed to stay still during the stitching.

Afterward, the doctor told the three adults, "The nurse will come by to tell you how to take care and dress the wound. Have a nice evening." The doctor left.

As they waited for the nurse, Alan told Hugh, "The next time you want an apple cut, let one of us know, alright?"

"Yes Grandpa."

"You're lucky you didn't slice the whole finger off!" Alan said.

"You really need to be careful with knives in general," Charlie said.

After the nurse gave them the needed instructions, they left for home. Thankfully, Charlie, after much effort, had managed to get Hugh into his insurance.

0990809809

Later that night, the couple talked in bed.

"That was one of the most frightening experiences of my life!" Charlie lay back on his pillow.

"Good thing your dad was there," Amita said. "He knew just what to do."

"He sure least it wasn't too serious," Charlie remarked.

Amita thought of something. "We could get an apple slicer."

"That's a great idea."

The two talked a bit more about various things, and then eventually, the subject of Hugh's education came up.

"We should consider enrolling Hugh in private school?" Amita remarked

"The school Hugh is going to is pretty good," Charlie shrugged.

"He could go to a better school," Amita said. "We need to push him so that he'll improve his grades."

"I went to public school," Charlie pointed out.

"But had private tutors," Amita countered. "I've done some research and found some private, non religious schools, within half an hour of here, that score much better than Hugh's school."

"Let me see your research, and in the meantime, we can push Hugh to do better at school."

09809908

Sarah kindly offered to keep taking Hugh to visit his mother at Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. Amita quickly agreed to keep peace, though Charlie decided to visit her one day.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Charlie demanded, as they, for the first time in years, saw each other face to face. Rose had some fine lines, and the orange suit contrasted with her blue eyes. Her hair was very short.

"I didn't think you were up to it," she told him frankly. "You were so involved in your little ivory tower, and could barely cope with your mother's illness."

"I would have stepped up to the plate!" Chalrie argued. "I had a right to know."

"Charlie, I understood when you first came crying to me, but then I'd wake up to find you writing some math mumbo jumbo on my paper towels!"

"I was under a lot of stress, granted, but..."

"But nothing. Hugh needed someone who was with him then!"

"How about a mother who wasn't a con artist, huh?" Charlie snapped, having read her file. "Or didn't make him pretend to be autistic in order to make a buck?"

"I've been a good mother to him. He never lacked for love, food, or shelter!"

"He pretended to have cancer in order to sell more lemonade!"

"And has since faced the consequences," she told him.

"No thanks to you!" Charlie said, got up and angrily left.

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After a few weeks, the couple went to talk with Hugh's teacher, Ms. Katz at the latter's classroom.

After the usual introductions, Charlie asked, "How is Hugh doing?"

"Well, he's a smart boy," the teacher began. "But he needs to improve in some areas."

"Such as?" Charlie asked.

She replied, "He can express his ideas in a grade appropriate way, but seems to have trouble with spelling."

"What can we do to help him?" Charlie scratched his nose.

"Check his homework. Test him with the weekly vocabulary words."

"Anything else?" Amita asked.

"Take him to the library and encourage him to check out books."

"We can do that," Charlie agreed.

The teacher continued, "Sometimes he doesn't pay attention in class. Yesterday, I caught him writing a letter to his mother during the math lesson." She took out a paper from a drawer.

"His mother is in jail," Charlie admitted. "We only recently gained custody of Hugh."

"That explains a lot. Take a look at the letter."

_Dear Mom:_

_I can't wate for Chrismas. I am gonna ask Santa for a TV for my room._

Amita said, "We'll talk to him about paying attention in class."

"He really needs to put in more effort here at school," Ms. Katz said.

"We'll see to it that he does," Charlie promised.

090909

When they returned to the house, Alan, looking up from his paper, asked, "Hugh is in the shower. How did it go?"

"His spelling needs work and he sometimes doesn't pay attention," Charlie sighed.

"He was caught writing a letter to his mother during class," Amita added. "He expects Santa to give him a TV for his room.."

"We'll have to get a Christmas tree," Charlie realized.

"But get him something else. He's too young to have a TV in his room," Amita said.

"I agree," Alan nodded. "What about a bike?"

"That's a great idea," Amita smiled. "We'll leave a note from Santa saying that he's too young for a TV in his room."

798798798798798798

When Hugh came out of the shower, Charlie checked his homework in the living room, after a short lecture on paying attention in class

"This book report is too short," Charlie told his son. "And you misspelled a few things."

"The book was stupid," the boy said as if that explained everything.

"At least say why it was stupid," Charlie said.

090980980

0809809809091840928094

Amita and Charlie celebrated their anniversary by going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant alone, while Alan stayed with Hugh.

As they waited for their dinner, Charlie said, "Thank you."

"For?"

"Being there, and helping me with Hugh. I know that he was more than you signed up for when you married me."

"I signed up to stay with you through everything," Amita reminded him.

The sommelier interrupted them to offer the wine list and make recommendations.

"So many choices," Charlie mused. "Why don't you pick one, Amita?"

"Sure," Amita said and did so.

090909

After dinner, they went to a hotel, where they would spend the night.

"Alone at last!" Charlie said, after they checked in.

Amita just smiled at him as they waited for the elevator.

098098080990

9898989

For Halloween, Hugh dressed as a wizard, with a blue robe,and pointy hat. Charlie took him trick or treating. When they got home, the boy tried to grab a candy, but was stopped by Alan's firm hand grabbing his.

"Let your father check it first."

"Why?" the boy asked, puzzled.

"There could be razors in the candy."

"That's an urban myth, Dad," Charlie scoffed.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire!" Alan countered, and took some of the candy out. "I'll check it myself."

Amita looked up from an astrophysics paper she was revising for publication. "You can only have five pieces, Hugh."

Hugh protested vehemently, "I want it all! I earned it!"

Charlie scolded the boy, "Don't take that tone with Amita!"

"For that, you'll only take three pieces," Alan added. "Once I check them, of course."

"Grandpa, you said that it's not good to waste stuff," the little boy said.

"It's not good to waste food," Alan corrected him.

"Candy can be dumped," Amita said.

"Maybe you could have two a day?" Alan suggested.

"Can I send some to my mom?"

"Sure," Charlie agreed.

"Can you take my picture, Dad? So I can send it to my mom too?"

"Let me get the camera," Charlie said and went to his and Amita's room.

0980

At Amita's behest, Charlie had the boy go to a psychologist, Dr. Brenner, once a week. Soon, the couple was asked to see her themselves for a session.

They all sat in an ample room with a couch and a chair. The couple sat on the couch.

"As I mentioned before, I like to speak with the parents or guardians of my younger patients," Christine began. Her black hair was tied up, and she wore a gray skirt with a red shirt with short puffy sleeves.

"I admit, it was quite a change," Amita said. "We went from being a newly wedded couple, to being parents to a young boy all in one swoop."

"My dad's been a great help to us," Charlie added.

"Hugh's adjusting pretty well, I think," Amita said, "Though he really misses his mother."

Charlie said, "We're having a Christmas tree at our home for the very first time for Hugh's sake."

"According to the form you filled out, you're concerned as to how Hugh is coping with his mother's incarceration, and some behavioral issues?" the therapist asked.

"That's right," Amita nodded. "He's been through so much recently, between his mother getting arrested, and living with a dad he just met..."

"Those are quite a few changes," the therapist agreed.

"He tried to sell pencils full of glitter at school," Charlie added. "He charged two bucks each for them."

"Sounds like he has en entrepreneurial spirit," Brenner said. "He just choose the wrong place to manifest it in."

"He lied to me!" Charlie argued. "Telling me that he needed those pencils, and overcharged for them."

"He's also pretended to have cancer while running a lemonade stand," Amita pointed out.

"Now that's not right," the therapist agreed. "And it's definitely learned."

"His mother was a con artist," Charlie explained. "That's why she's in jail. She must have taught him that pretending to have cancer was okay."

"How was he punished?"

"At the time he was living with his aunt, who made him apologize to the neighbors and go to the children's ward of a hospital," Amita replied.

"Sounds reasonable," Brenner said. "How's he doing at school?"

"He sometimes doesn't pay attention in class," Amita said, "and needs to improve his spelling."

"He's capable of better grades," Charlie added.

"He does seem like a smart boy," the therapist remarked.

"My wife and I check his homework every day," Charlie said. "To make sure he did it right."

"That's a good way to make sure he does well at school," the therapist approved.

"Is there anything else we could do?" Amita asked.

"Encourage him to read a lot. That will help him in many areas."

"My father plays Scrabble with him," Charlie said. "And I made him a couple of math video games."

"You made him video games?" the therapist repeated.

"One of my PhDs is in Computer Science," Charlie explained.

"I see. What's the other one in?"

"Math," Charlie answered. "My wife has two PhDs as well."

"Computer Science and Astrophysics," Amita added. "We both teach and consult."

"So your schedules are pretty stable then?" Christine asked.

"It depends on whether we have consulting work or not," Amita said. "We've got my father-in-law to help us."

"How's it been for both of you? Balancing work and Hugh?"

"Tricky at times, but we're managing fine," Amita said. "Hugh's not a baby so that makes things a bit easier."

"How are you two bonding with him?"

"It's taken a bit, but we're progressing," Charlie said.

The trio talked some more until time ran out.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

During one visit to see his mother, Hugh remarked, "A classmate's dad got outta jail early. He got Pa-roll or something. Could you get that?"

"Parole? I'm sorry, sweetie, but I don't qualify, not yet anyway. And then I have to apply for it."

"Oh..." Hugh's disappointment could be heard and seen on his face.

"The time will go by before you know it!" She made herself sound cheerful. "I miss you so much! You'll never know just how much."

The two sat at a small table in the visitor's area. Sarah sat on a table by herself to let mother and son bond. "Mortimer died."

"How?"

"Dunno. He died after lunch on Monday." The boy sighed.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"He was a nice rat. He never bit anyone."

"How's school otherwise? Does the teacher still give lots of homework?

"Yeah. Dad and Amita check it every day."

"Is it easy? Hard?"

"Math is boring."

"Just pretend it's money, and it'll be much easier," Rose advised.

"Okay."

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

"Granpa Alan is gonna make a big dinner. Uncle Don and Aunt Robin are gonna be there."

"Is Granpa Alan a good cook?"

"Yeah!"

"Have you written to Santa yet?"

"I did. I asked for a TV for my room. I wanna watch cartoons in bed. Granpa Alan says that sometimes Santa brings something brings kids something better instead than what they asked for."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"Sweetie, I'd like you to ask your father to come see me. I need to talk to him," Rose told the kid.

"Okay," Hugh agreed, curious. "Why?"

"Grown up stuff."

098098

With annoyance, Charlie came to see her, with Amita at his side.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you guys about custody."

"Custody? You're still in prison," Charlie pointed out.

"I'll be eligible for Parole when Hugh is 15, but I wanted to get things straight."

"Like what?"

"That, when I get out, I''ll have him half the time."

"No," Charlie said adamantly.

"You don't even know if you're getting parole," Amita said diplomatically.

"My heart tells me that I will."

"Is this the same heart that told you to con all those people out of their money?" Charlie asked sardonically.

"A couple of the victims have turned religious and have forgiven me," Rose said. "They've agreed to speak at my parole hearing. I'm a different person now."

"Sure your are," Charlie said with doubt.

"I've been taking a writing course, and have a job. "

"A job?" Charlie repeated.

"A company made a deal with this prison so that inmates can work in the call center."

"Rose," Amita began. "Say you do get parole. You're going to need time for yourself, to get your life together."

"What I'm gonna need is my son back. As it is, I'm losing out on a good part of his childhood. He's always been my priority."

"That's why you did live a life of crime, huh? Because Hugh is so important to you?" Charlie snapped.

"You don't know what's it like," she began. "Especially with a kid to think about. As I'm sure you've noticed. They're kinda expensive."

"If you would have told me, I would have helped out with the expenses," Charlie scoffed. "Besides, what you wanted, was easy money."

"He never lacked for love, attention, or food with me!" Rose argued.

"How about this: when you get out, you can have him Christmas, some birthdays, alternate weekends, and three weeks in the summer?" Charlie proposed.

"Don't make me take you to court!" Rose warned.

"Go ahead. Take us to court," Charlie challenged her. "Let's see who the judge is going to prefer: the loving father and stepmother who have been raising him in a stable home, or the jobless felon of a mother?"

90009809089

As they drove home, Amita suggested, "Rose has a right to see Hugh. He is her son."

"She wants him to live with her half the time," Charlie countered. "When she gets out. That can't happen. My offer is more than fair."

0980890

By and by, December came. The couple went with Hugh, on a weekend to get a tree.

"Which tree do you like?" Charlie asked the boy, when they were at a lot, where Christmas trees were sold.

"Can I get a big one?"

"Sure!"

"How about that one?" Hugh pointed to a large tree, about seven or eight feet tall. For the longest time, he had wanted a large tree, but the apartments he had shared with his mom were always too small.

"Great! Let's get it!" Charlie agreed.

With great effort, Charlie, a lot employee and Amita tied it to the top of the car, as Hugh happily watched.

"It'll be your responsibility to water the tree," Amita told him.

"I will."

0909090909090909

During Hugh's Christmas break, he got homework, mostly involving math and reading books from the library. Charlie, having done some research, wrote word problems for the boy. One such problem was

_"I give you forty dollars, and you end up spending twenty nine dollars on candy. How much would you have left?"_ Hugh, in a relatively short time solved it, only to there were more such as. _"Let's say, you have own a store that sells TVs, and sold two TVs on costing 239, and the other, 855, in one day. How much money total did you get?"_

Charlie eventually checked the five problems, and declared that two of them were wrong.

"You didn't carry the one," he told the boy. "Have you finished that book you got from the library?"

"No. It's boring."

"But you chose it."

"I wanna get another one."

"Stick it out," Charlie advised. "Then you can get another one."

09809809890

Finally, for Hugh, Christmas came. To his surprise he saw a bike, rather then a television laying under the tree upon going to it very early in the morning. He found a handwritten note:

_Hugh: I've decided to give you a bike, because I saw that you didn't have one. I know you'll have much more fun with it._

_Love _

_Santa_

Later that, day, Charlie patiently taught him to ride. With enough practice, Hugh was able to ride to and from school, or a classmates home, as needed.

Sometimes, though, he'd come home late. One of his classmates had access to the new game, Hell Spawn thanks to an older brother.

"Where were you, Hugh?" Alan asked when the boy came in one evening during dinner. Everyone had served themselves.

"At a classmate's house"

"To study or play?" Amita asked suspiciously.

"Study," the boy quickly said.

"So your homework is ready for me to check it?" Charlie asked.

"Almost...," the boy said nervously.

"Finish it after dinner."

"Okay." The boy sat down to eat. "Any mail?"

"Not today," Amita said.

"Oh..."

"Maybe you should only visit your friends on the weekends," Amita suggested.

Hugh asked, "Why?"

"Because school comes first," Amita responded.

0980980

One evening at dinner, Charlie said, with a grin when everyone was served, "Amita has an announcement to make."

"I found a comet," Amita smiled.

"What's a comet?" Hugh asked.

"It's a small, icey body that goes across space," Charlie replied. "When it gets close to the sun, it displays a tail. "

"I'll show you a picture of one after dinner," Amita promised.

"That's great!" Alan approved.

Eventually, Amita published her findings, had them verified, and named the comet, Meyyalagi, after her late grandmother.

09090909

February came in the blink of an eye. Charlie and Amita discussed in bed what to do for Hugh's upcoming birthday.

"Let's take him and a few classmates to Chuck E. Cheese," Amita suggested. "Kids love it there. They can eat pizza, and play games. Plus there's no cleanup afterward."

"Sure!" Charlie agreed. "What about summer? I was thinking we could do Disney World."

He added , "When I was a kid, I wanted to go to Disney World, but Dad never saw the point."

"Why?"

"Because Disneyland was nearby."

"Oh."

"I tried to tell him that it wasn't the same thing, but he never listened," Charlie remembered. "What else could we do?"

"I need some time to do my research," Amita reminded him.

"What about Hugh?"

"We're taking him to Disney World," Amita said. "Most kids don't get to go anywhere."

"You're right," Charlie admitted.

At that moment, they heard a knock on their bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Charlie asked.

"Hugh. Can I come in?"

Amita, in a revealing night gown, threw a blanket over herself. Charlie sat in boxers and t-shirt.

"Yes," Charlie said. "What's up?"

Hugh didn't bother with a preamble, "I need a cell phone."

"A cell phone?" Charlie repeated. "But why?"

"What if I get kidnapped? What if there's a fire or something at school?"

"You're too young," Amita said firmly.

"A kid from my soccer team has one," the boy pouted.

"So?" Amita countered. "Cell phones are not for kids. We can talk about this when you're, say, 14."

"That's a long time," the boy protested.

Amita looked at the clock next to her side of the bed. "It's past your bedtime."

"Good night," Hugh sighed and left their room; closing the door behind him.

"We haven't gotten him his birthday present yet," Charlie remarked. "What about Hell Spawn? That new computer game? "

"Let's see what the rating on it is." Amita got her laptop from her canvas bag and looked it up. "It's rated T for Teen."

"What about a laptop?" Charlie suggested.

"A laptop! For a kid?"

"To do his homework and play video games on. I wouldn't have it hooked up to the net," Charlie said.

"He can do those two things on the desktop," Amita said.

"We could build it from different parts," Charlie said.

"That's too much."

"What do you suggest then?"

"A skateboard. I see him having lots of fun with it," Amita replied.

Charlie agreed.

098009809

At Hugh's birthday party, about ten boys showed up. Amita and Charlie gave them each a few tokens to play with after the extra large pizza had been eaten up by the group.

"Bet you three tokens I can beat you at air hockey!" Hugh challenged one of the guests.

"Sure," the other boy said, doubtfully and joined Hugh at the air hockey table.

As the kids played, Amita and Charlie relaxed.

"I hope he likes the skateboard-," the latter remarked.

"So do I."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Alan kept an eye on all the kids, to make sure everyone stayed safe and kept out of trouble.

Hugh received presents from the other kids such as a toys R Us gift card, a computer game, and a hula hoop.

Alan gave Hugh a digital camera

"So you can take pictures for your mother," he told the boy.

"Where is your mom?" one of the guests, a tall boy, asked.

"Jail," Hugh admitted.

"Why?"

"Let's open the next present," Amita said loudly and emphatically. Don, due to work, came only right then, with a large present. Happily, and with curiosity, Hugh opened it: inside the box was a remote controlled plane.

"Thank you Uncle Don!" the boy grinned.

"Turn it on!" a red haired boy suggested.

"Not here," Amita said. "There' s one more present. From your father and me." Hugh opened it to see a skateboard.

"Cool!" he said, liking it.

"You'll need to wear your helmet and pads," Amita warned.

"Okay! Thank you Dad and Amita!"

Then, it was time for the cake. Eventually, one by one, the guests left, and the presents were gathered up.

"This was the best birthday ever!" Hugh exclaimed.

900980809

Since the next day was Sunday, Hugh tried out the remote controlled plane. With Charlie's help, he read the directions, and got batteries for the toy. In the backyard, father and son took it for a test flight, which went well until Hugh crashed the plane into a window.

"Sorry," the boy apologized

"Don't sweat it."

0980980980

In April, there was 'Take your Child to Work Day'. Don finally convinced the boy to come with him to work. When they got through security and got into the elevator, Hugh saw a familiar face in a t-shirt, and a goatee being lead by two agents in business dress.

"Hey little guy!" he greeted the boy . "How's your mom?"

"In jail," the boy pouted.

"You two know each other?" Don asked.

"He was gonna marry my mom, but then he didn't," Hugh explained. "Are you going to jail too?"

"Not if I can help it. Tell you mom I said hi," he and the agents got out a floor sooner than Don and Hugh. Soon, the two were in Don's large office, which he acquired as a result of his promotion to Special Agent in Charge. Don gave him a quick tour of it, and then explained what the FBI did in between people coming in for various reasons, be it questions, or updates on a case. Hugh sat quietly. Finally, uncle and nephew could return to the tour.

Don showed the boy various sections and introduced him to a couple of agents and some FBI techs as well.

For lunch, the two went to a Chinese restaurant.

"Enjoying yourself, little buddy?"

"Yeah."

"See, the FBI isn't so bad." Don sipped some hot and sour soup.

"What about my mom?"

"Those agents were just doing their jobs," Don said.

"Why did they take my mom away?"

"I don't know, little buddy, I'd have to see her file."

"The mean lady said that my mom did stuff she shouldn't. "

Just then, their meals came, allowing Don to change the subject.

"Have you had chow fun?"

"Yeah. I like it."

"Glad to hear it." Don served the boy some.

After lunch, the tour was finished up, and Amita picked the boy up.

"Thanks!" Hugh told his uncle before leaving.

9080980809890

That night at dinner, Hugh told Charlie, Amita, and Alan, "I want a mouse that glows."

" You're too young for pets," Amita said. "Besides, they're only sold to scientists."

"But you guys said that you were scientists," the boy argued.

"Yes, but not the kind who need glowing mice," Charlie said. "Where did you hear about them, anyway?"

"A kid from school showed a picture for show and tell."

"Anyway," Amita said. "Even if your father and I wanted to, we couldn't buy you a glowing mouse because they are not sold to be pets, but for research or study."

"They look cool," Hugh sighed in disappointment.

098090890909089

Before they all knew it, June came around. Hugh earned Bs and Cs on his report card.

"Not bad, but you could do better," Charlie told him, after giving him money for the Bs.

"Yes you can," Amita agreed.

"This summer, I'm going to prepare homework for you to do," Charlie announced.

"Why? It's summer." The boy frowned.

"To keep your mind fresh, and help you get better grades next year," Charlie told him.

"What about Disney World?" Hugh asked.

"You'll have a break from your lessons then," Amita replied, "But you'll need to bring a book."

"Okay. Can I borrow fifty dollars?"

"Why?" Charlie asked, puzzled.

"For my lemonade stand," the boy explained. "I'm making two kinds of lemonade."

"Why two kinds?" Amita asked.

"One with splenda, the other with sugar," the boy said. "I did it like that last year. Mom suggested it."

"Fifty dollars is a lot of money for some lemons, sugar, and splenda," Amita said.

"I need to get organic lemons."

"Why?"

"So I can charge more money."

"But organic lemons cost more money," Charlie countered. "And people aren't going to be willing to pay a lot for lemonade."

"I'm gonna get them at Farmers Market," the boy said.

"Look, Amita and I'll get you the supplies, and you can reimburse us if you make enough. Deal?" Charlie suggested.

"Okay."

89009890089

So, Hugh spent the mornings of each weekday of summer vacation doing some homework Charlie made for him, and the afternoons, selling his lemonade. Some neighbors kindly bought the lemonade. He saw his mother twice a month.

"What are you working on?" Amita asked, looking over Charlie's shoulder as he typed computer commons on his laptop.

"A computer game to help him learn his multiplication table. It'll be a car race, where he has to press the right answer to make it go. "

"What about the project for the CBI?"

"I just finished it."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure." Charlie showed her the calculations.

0980890089

The next morning, Charlie gave Hugh a multiplication table he got from the internet.

"Memorize this," he told the boy. "And read that book."

"Okay."

Amita worked on a new computer program that could detect plagiarism in essays. There were some out there already, but she hoped to make a better one and to patent and sell this product to high schools, colleges, and universities . Charlie focused on his convergence theory, while Hugh dutifully did his 'homework'.

After a lunch of grilled sandwiches made by Charlie, Hugh set up his lemonade stand, putting up the sign and setting the two pitchers on the little table.

After a while, a man in a dark shirt came, carrying a clipboard.

"Do you have a permit?" he asked, after showing his identificiation, that was from the Health department

"No. I'm just a kid," Hugh said.

"The rules apply to everybody. Where are your parents?"

"My dad and stepmom are inside."

"I'd like to talk to them."

"Okay." Hugh, reluctantly lead the man to the house. Once inside, the boy called, "Dad! Amita! some man wants to talk to you."

"How can I help you?" Charlie came to the door.

"Your son is selling lemonade without a permit." the man said after showing his identification.

"But he's a kid, and he's selling lemonade." Charlie looked confused.

"Rules apply to everybody," the man repeated. "I'll just give you a warning this time but next time there'll be a health citation." With that, he left.

"I'm gonna talk to the Pasadena Health department," Charlie promised the boy. "This is going too far."

"In the meantime, take down your lemonade stand, at least until we can resolve this," Amita advised Hugh.

"Okay..." Hugh, with annoyance, went to take it down.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

During dinner one night, Hugh announced, "I'm gonna get a star for my mom's birthday."

"A star?" Charlie repeated.

"Mike says that you can pay money so a star can have the same name as someone," Hugh explained.

"Hugh, it's a scam," Charlie gently told the boy. "People pay the money, but no star is named after anyone officially.. ."

"Oh...," the boy said with disappointment. "What can I get my mom then?"

"I know of a place where you can have a calender made, based on personal pictures," Alan said.

"Sounds like the perfect gift," Amita agreed. "Just take a bunch of random pictures, and put them on a calender."

Hugh soon agreed with the idea.

09809890089

One day, he had two former classmates over at the house for lunch. They locked themselves up in Hugh's room, soon after.

"It's too quiet," Amita remarked suspiciously, looking up from her laptop.

"I'll go see what they're up to." Charlie went upstairs to Hugh's room, opened the door only to see an Ouija board spread between the three of them. The boys were all holding the triangle, that supposedly was moved by the spirit they were talking to.

"Why did you die?" one of guests asked. The room was dark, as the lights were off and Hugh had closed the blinds. Only a flashlight lit the room.

"What's going on?" Charlie interrupted after turning on the lights. The three boys looked up.

"You made the ghost leave," the brown haired guest, Mike, said with a frown.

"Ghosts do not exist. Your fingers move the triangle even when you don't want them to," Charlie said.

"The ghost's name was Buck," Hugh argued. "How can anyone's fingers spell Buck by accident?"

"One of your guests is pulling your leg," Charlie said. "It's the only explanation."

"That's not true!" Mike protested.

"It's my game," the other boy, Tom, told Charlie.

"This game is a waste of time. You're almost better off watching T.V all day."

"But it's fun, and scary," Hugh said.

"Maybe Mike did it?" Tom suggested after some thinking. "He does have a dog named Buck."

"I did not!" Mike argued. "I woulda used another name."

"No one did it," Hugh told Tom. "A ghost was talking to us."

Charlie told them firmly, "There are no spirits among us moving around pieces of plastic."

"Why don't you play with us?" Hugh asked.

"I'm a scientist, Hugh," Charlie replied.

"Maybe we could talk to Granma Margaret?" the boy suggested.

"Hugh." Charlie took a deep breath. "Your grandmother does not have a ghost, that roams around, and communicates through some piece of plastic."

"My cousin said that she talked to a dead friend with an Ouija board," Mike said.

"Tell you what." Charlie sighed, trying to keep his patience. "If you put that game away, I'll take you all to eat ice cream."

"We need a break," Mike said, liking the idea of ice cream.

"Yeah we do," Tom agreed.

"Fine. We can do some more later," Hugh acquiesced.

09809809890809

At the age of ten, after lots of encouragement, effort, and pushing, Hugh enrolled at La Canada Academy, a private school that went from fifth grade up until the eighth grade. It had been Amita's third choice. Despite the school's tough curriculum, Hugh still found time to read books on the supernatural. He made a couple of friends, named Josh, and Brian. The latter told them about medicine that could help him study.

"You gotta tell the Doc and your parents that you have ADD," Brian advised as the three talked during recess one day. "The meds make it easier to study because ADD means you can't focus."

Hugh brought up the subject at the dinner table, when Alan asked him about school. "I think I have ADD."

"ADD?" Charlie repeated.

"I need medicine."

"I doubt you have it," Amita said. "Not with the grades you've been getting."

"I could get better grades with the medicine."

"We're not going to give you medicine you don't need," Amita said firmly. "Eat your salad."

"What brought this up?" Alan asked.

"I heard that kids who can't focus might have ADD," Hugh lied.

09800980

"How's school?" Rose asked Hugh during his next visit.

"Harder. I get more homework and the tests are harder."

"Looks like you'll have to work that much more. Have you made any friends?"

"Josh and Brian."

"Glad to hear it," she teased. "Any brothers or sisters on the pipeline?"

"No. How's college?" Hugh asked. His mother was taking courses in business administration.

"Going well. I hope to finish before my parole hearing."

"It's when I'm fourteen right?"

"I'm afraid so, but the time will pass," she told him.

0980990908

One late Friday night, Charlie got up to go to the bathroom, when he heard mumbling from the bathroom.

"Who's in there?"

"Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary..."

Finally Charlie recognized Hugh's voice.

"What the...heck are you doing in there?"

Hugh continued, not hearing his father. "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary.."

Annoyed, Charlie came into the bathroom. "Stop it!"

Hugh jumped, started, and then saw his dad. "Dad?"

"What are yo doing?"

"I was doing an experiment."

"Experiment?"

"To see if Bloody Mary would appear in the mirror."

"She won't. Trust me. It's a myth. Go to bed."

"I've read about people seeing her."

"I'm surprised you're doing this by yourself."

"That's why I was far from the mirror."

"Go to bed. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

"Okay. Good night." Hugh walked off.

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"Did you really have to lecture Hugh about doing the Bloody Mary thing?" Amita asked him the next evening as they got ready for bed. "He's just a kid."

"He's obsessing about the supernatural."

"Look, he's not neglecting his schoolwork, and it's good for him to have interests."

"He actually believes in all that crap," Charlie protested. "And then gets books on it."

"You went way over his head," Amita added. "And there are worse things he could be doing at night."

"And better ones too," Charlie countered. "I want him to not be gullible and easily taken in."

"There's plenty of time for that," Amita assured him.

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_About Four years later._

"How's your brother, what's his name? Sorollee?" Rose asked her son, as they waited for their food at her favorite Mexican restaurant.

"Suruli," Hugh, now fourteen, corrected her. His face was a bit longer, and his facial resemblance to Charlie was more evident. "He's weird. Amita's worried."

"Weird how?"

"He tunes out and doesn't talk."

"How old is he? Four?"

"My cousin Maggie is four, he's almost three," Hugh explained.

"Right."

Just then, the food came.

Rose exclaimed upon seeing it. "Freedom is so sweet!" Reluctantly, she had agreed, while getting her life together, to Charlie's terms of alternate weekends, some birthday, Christmas, and three weeks in summer

Soon, the two dug into their meals.

"So you got a test next week?"

"But it's on Friday," Hugh said. "So I've got time to study."

"They sure work you hard at that school. Didn't you have a test last week?"

"It was another subject."

"I see."

"Today was career day."

"Anything catch your eye? Which speakers did you see?"

"A psychologist, an anthropologist, a doctor, and my dad."

"Your dad was in it?"

"To promote careers in math. He talked about his consulting work with the FBI, the police and other government agencies."

"Which interested you?"

"The psychologist and the anthropologist. I asked, and as it turns out, I don't have to listen to people complain all day if I decide to become a psychologist. There are different kinds of psychology."

"What interested you about psychology and anthropology?"

"The way the brain and society work seems interesting to me."

"Whatever you choose, you'll have my love and support," Rose said

"Thanks! I've got some time to decide. I don't even have to choose until my second or third year of college!"

"You can do your gen eds while you decide," Rose agreed. She had gotten a degree while in jail in business.

"Great idea!"

After dinner, mother and son went to a movie. As they enjoyed it, Amita read to Suruli, who loked like a smaller, lighter, version of Amita as she did every night, though he seemed fixated on a toy car he had in his hand, and not as interested on the story. Amita continued, only because she had learned in the course of reading about child development that reading to children helped them with their verbal skills.

"Mr. Mouse then went to see his mother..." Amita trailed off when she saw that Suruli had broken the door of the toy car. "Suruli! I know that was not an accident! Why'd you do that? There are children out there who have no toys!" Suruli, peeked inside the toy car, and then tried to take off the roof of it.

"Give me that!" Amita took it as the child screamed.

"What's going on?" Charlie came into the toddler's room.

"He's mad at me because I won't let him tear this toy car apart," Amita responded, as the child continued to scream and flail about.

"I used to do that too," Charlie said. "Suruli's probably curious about the car. Give it back to him before the neighbors call social services on us again and we get another visit."

Amita reluctantly gave the toy car back. "Charlie, maybe that social worker was right?"

"About what?"

"That maybe we should have Suruli checked out?"

"She was just saying that." Charlie blew off Amita's suggestion.

"He's almost three, Charlie, and doesn't even say ma-ma or Da-Da!"

"He got that from me. I didn't really talk until was I three and a half," Charlie said.

"What if something's wrong?" Amita worried.

"Nothing is wrong."

"Maggie was practically saying sentences at his age."

"Each child is different."

"I'm taking him to the pediatrician, and asking for a referral to a specialist," Amita said. "Come or not. It's up to you."

"Up to me?" Charlie repeated.

"You're in denial, Charlie! Look at him!"

"He's done most of the other stuff on schedule. You're overreacting."

Charlie furiously walked out of the room.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

On Saturday, Alan decided to take Suruli and Maggie to the Los Angeles Zoo to spend some time with his younger grandchildren and give the two sets of parents a break.

Amita graded, as well as do research, both academic and personal. Charlie worked with the student, whose dissertation he was advising and whose wife took care of Suruli on weekdays. After the student left, Charlie worked on an article for a math journal. Eventually, Amita joined him in the solarium. She had been doing her work in the dining room.

"Charlie, we need to talk." Amita had some papers in her hand.

The hairs on the back of Charlie's neck stood up, but he said nothing.

Amita continued "I'm enrolling Suruli in a special preschool when he turns three."

"What?"

"The Pasadena Unified School District offers services and one of them is a preschool for special needs kids."

"Suruli is not special needs."

"Something's going on," Amita insisted. "The sooner you accept that, the better it is for him."

"You mean the sooner I agree with you the better," Charlie snapped.

"Why won't you accept the reality?" Amita demanded.

Before Charlie could say anything, Alan came into the solarium with a somber face.

"What happened?" Amita asked with worry. She didn't expect him to be back for some time.

"Suruli had a tantrum," Alan said.

"Where is he now?" Charlie asked.

"In the living room, playing with his cars."

"What caused the tantrum?" Amita asked.

"It all started when he found a toy plane on the floor, and started playing with it. Turns out it belonged to another slightly older boy, who came to us and said that plane was his. Suruli refused to give him the plane, so I gently took it from him, and gave it back to the other kid. Suruli started to have a tantrum. I threatened to take him and Maggie home, and here we are."

"Has he calmed down?" Amita asked.

"Yeah," Alan said.

Amita went to see her son, who seemed immersed in the world of his cars; lining them up in some order she couldn't figure out, getting them one by one and doing various things with them, then lining them up again.

Charlie soon came to join her. "I used to do weird stuff all the time at his age."

Instead of answering Amita took a car from the lineup, causing the boy to start having a tantrum and even hit Amita.

Charlie grabbed Suruli by a wrist. "No! Don't you ever hit Mommy! You're going to the corner!" He took the two and a half year old to a corner and tried to make him stay there, but the boy kept having his tantrum, and refused to stay still. Charlie left him there, but the boy left the corner, crying and yelling.

"See," Amita said.

"This is just the terrible twos," Charlie countered. "Suruli! Go to the corner!" The boy ignored him.

"Charlie, I've seen kids have tantrums in stores, and this looks worse." Amita was worried.

"That's because you're the mother in this situation," Charlie tried to assure her.

"What's going on?" Alan asked, coming out of the solarium

"Suruli hit Amita!" Charlie said. "Because she moved one of his cars. I tried the time out technique but he refuses to stay put."

"Let him cry it out," Alan suggested. "That's how your mother and I used to handle tantrums."

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Hugh sensed tension upon coming home on Sunday evening. "Hey everyone!" he called upon coming in.

"How'd it go?" Alan asked, sitting in his favorite recliner. He was reading the newspaper, Charlie was doing research. Suruli was in his playpen with a toy truck, and Amita was working at her laptop.

"Great! I saw a movie with Mom, and we hung out," Hugh said, and went to his brother's playpen. "Hey Suruli!" The child did not answer, but just moved the toy truck back and forth.

"Suruli?" Amita prompted. "Aren't you gonna say hi to Hugh?"

Instead of responding, Suruli continued to play with the toy truck, moving it back and forth some more.

"He sure loves that truck," Hugh mumbled.

Amita said to Alan and Hugh, "I've been doing some research, and hearing problems could account for Suruli's speech delay. I'm having the pediatrician give me the referral for a hearing test."

"That's a good idea," Alan said. "My wife and I also suspected hearing problems when Charlie was slow in talking. She even banged two pots together, close to him, as a test. We never thought we'd be happy to hear him scream his lungs out."

"Einstein was a slow talker," Charlie reminded everybody. "And I turned out fine. Some people say I talk too much."

"Let's see what the pediatrician says," Amita said.

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Amita, with a reluctant Charlie, took Suruli to his pediatrician. After some waiting in the waiting room, and more waiting in an examination room, she finally showed up.

"Good morning. Sorry I'm late," the pediatrician, named Dr. Velasquez, turned to the two and a half year old. "How are you little guy?" Suruli did not even acknowledge the doctor, but only at picking at the wheels of the toy ambulance.

"Suruli? Say hi to the doctor," Amita prompted, with no success.

Velasquez shrugged. "That's alright. You can say hi later." She looked at the child's record. "What brings you here today?"

"We're worried that Suruli might have some sort of speech delay," Amita said. "And he tunes people out, as you just saw."

Gently, the pediatrician tried, with an otoscope and magnifying glass, to look into the child's right ear, but he squirmed, and covered his ears.

"Suruli! Let the doctor see your ears," Amita coaxed him, holding his arms. Finally, the doctor got a quick peek at both ears.

"Both ears look fine. No damage was done by any infections."

"I'd feel better if I could have his hearing tested," Amita said diplomatically. "He doesn't talk at all."

"At all? No phrases, or baby words?"

"He used to, but then stopped," Amita said.

"Does Suruli point?"

Amita replied, "No. I would like to have him tested for autism, hearing disabilities, and anything else that could account for his speech delay."

"Let's do one thing at a time," the doctor suggested. "I'll do the referral for an audiologist, to have his hearing checked. Afterward, we can talk about the results and where to go from there."

"Fair enough," Amita agreed, but strong in her resolve to be an advocate for her son.

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The audiologist, after the hearing test, told the couple that Suruli's hearing was 'fine and within normal range.' Afterward, they, with Suruli in tow, drove home.

The car ride was mostly silent, until Charlie asked, "How many tests do we have to subject him to before you're satisfied?"

"As many as it takes." Amita made a furious right turn. "Charlie, when you ask questions like that, I feel like you're in denial about our son."

"I'm just being rational," Charlie countered. "We can't panic just because he doesn't reach every milestone at some theoretical time designated by someone who's probably never had kids."

"What would you have me do? Wait until he's at school, way behind the other children? Now is the time to act."

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The couple, after a few weeks then went to a developmental pediatrician, who told them his diagnosis after asking many questions, as well as interacting and examining the child, "Developmental delay."

"Developmental Delay?" Charlie repeated somberly.

"He's not talking at age level, at all, and seems to have trouble following directions," Chidders told the couple. "I recommend speech therapy."

"What about Pervasive Developmental Disorder?" Amita asked.

"He doesn't fit the criteria," Chidders replied.

"He doesnt' make eye contact, and seems to live in his own world," Amita pointed out.

"He did make eye contact with me," the doctor told her.

"You held a toy car," Amita countered. "What about the tantrums and the hitting?"

"That's typical behavior for a kid his age."

"And the unusual play? He lines up his toy cars at home," Amita said.

"Who's to say what's unusual play?" Chidders told her. "Kids his age are eccentric by nature."

"His used to babble and coo. Now he doesn't."

"Dr. Ramanujan, you are more than welcome to get a second opinion." The doctor said diplomatically. "But all the concerns you have about your son are connected to a developmental delay. I recommend Speech therapy"

"Thank you, doctor," Charlie picked up Suruli. "For you time."

With that, the family left.

"We need to see another Developmental Pediatrician," Amita said when they were near the car. "He didn't see the whole picture."

"Why are you so fixated on Suruli having a diagnosis of autism?" Charlie put the boy in his toddler seat.

"I'm fixated on him getting the right diagnosis and the help he needs," Amita said, as the couple got in the car.

"He's getting help. We're taking him to speech therapy," Charlie reminded her.

"He needs a lot mother's intuition tells me that what Suruli has is not just a developmental delay." Amita put on her seatbelt as Charlie started the car.

"You're a scientist, Amita," Charlie said, as if to remind her.

"And I think like one!" Amita snapped. "I've been doing a lot of research on autism."

"Look, why don't we give the speech therapy a chance?" Charlie suggested. "And aren't we enrolling him at a preschool with special services? Let's see what happens."

"With autism early intervention is the key," Amita said.

"If it'll make you feel better, we can go to another Developmental Pediatrician," Charlie compromised.

"Let's do that," Amita said.

09809089

Back at the house, Charlie, with Suruli in his arms, told Hugh and Alan Chidder's diagnosis.

"Developmental Delay," Alan repeated.

"The doctor recommended that we take him to speech therapy," Charlie added.

"He needs more that that, though," Amita said.

"You disagree with the doctor?" Alan asked.

"I still think that Suruli has some sort of autism. The Developmental Pediatrician didn't get the whole picture."

Charlie suddenly said, "I'll bath Suruli and read him his story."

"I'll go finish my homework," Hugh said.

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After the long, difficult bath, Suruli was dried, and put into his pajamas.

Charlie then started to read a pop up book about cars, from the stack of books Amita had gotten from the library.

"Look! Cars!" Charlie opened the first page. The boy miraculously looked up from his toy, and started pulling at the pop up car.

"Suruli! No!" Charlie removed the boy's hand. "It's from the library." Suruli put out his hand again, and tore what was once the openable hood of the pop up car.

"Just for that, you're going straight to bed!" Charlie scolded the boy. "You don't treat library books that way!" With that, Charlie put the two and half year old in the large crib. Deciding to pick his battles, Charlie left the boy with the toy in his hand, and just left the room, turning off the lights.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

As Charlie tended to Suruli, Amita grieved and fretted in the shower.

"What if he regresses and gets full blown autism like that case I read about?" she mused with worry and leaned against the shower wall. "This isn't what I pictured motherhood to be. What about my career? Am I selfish to think about it?" Soon, she found her eyes filled with tears and she sobbed quietly, grieving for what might not be. "What am I going to do? Will I find a doctor who believes me?"

She composed herself, or made herself think she was composed soon after showering. She graded some quizzes from one of her astrophysics courses in the kitchen.

Charlie did his own grieving, though it wasn't as deep.

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The next evening, Amita and Charlie went to have dinner with Rose, who wanted to increase visitation. It was a Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar.

"I don't know why we agreed to this dinner," Charlie grumbled as he drove them to the restaurant.

"Let's see what she has in mind," Amita said. Now that she had her own child, she felt more understanding as to what Rose had gone through during her time in jail. Amita could never imagine only getting to see Suruli twice a month. "Try to listen for a change."

"I do listen!" Charlie got defensive.

"When it suits you." Amita looked out of the passenger window. She noticed the beginning of fine lines on her mouth and near her eyes. Then, she remembered the good percentage of baby fat that never went away.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"When you don't want to believe something, nothing - even the most compelling evidence - convinces you."

"We're here," Charlie said gruffly as he parked the car.

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The couple put on a front of being united as they joined Rose at a square wooden table. Soon, a waitress asked if they wanted anything to drink. Charlie ordered a beer while Amita and Rose each ordered a glass of wine.

Rose began. "So, I was thinking that maybe I could have extended visitation."

"How extended?" Charlie asked, not smiling.

"Instead of Friday, Saturday and Sunday on alternate weeks, I was hoping we could increase it to Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday on alternate weeks," Rose suggested, promising "I'll make sure he does his homework."

"I'll need to think about it," Charlie said.

"Fine. Take as long as you need," Rose said, happy that Charlie didn't say no outright. The waitress came with their drinks and soon, they all ordered sushi.

"So how's Sorooli?" Rose asked. "Sorry if I mispronounced that."

"Suruli," Amita corrected her. "It's Tamil, as are my parents. I wanted to honor my roots."

"He's fine," Charlie said.

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On Saturday, Robin, Don, and Maggie, who looked like her mother, came over to the house.

"Don't boast so much about Maggie's talking," Robin warned Don. "It seems to be sensitive subject for Amita."

"Sure." Don opened the door for his little girl.

Charlie, Hugh and Amita welcomed them. Alan, as usual, cooked. Suruli seemed to be building some sort of structure with the large legos.

Soon, Maggie joined him. The three and a half year old took some of the legos for herself and started to build something from her imagination. Finding the sight adorable, Robin took a picture.

After a while, Maggie showed off her talking doll to Suruli. "Look! Grandma Pam gave it to me." Suruli ignored her and continued to build his structure.

"Maybe he'll be an engineer when he grows up," Don suggested light heartedly. "He could be the one who actually designs the flying cars."

"That would be so cool!" Hugh said.

"How's school, little buddy?" Don asked the fourteen year old.

"Great. I got a B on a history test!" he announced proudly.

"That's great!" Don congratulated his nephew.

"Hugh's an excellent student," Charlie boasted.

As they talked, Maggie decided to add to Suruli's structure, but this upset the latter, who hit her. She screamed "He hitted me!" Don and Robin ran to comfort her.

"Suruli! That wasn't nice!" Charlie scolded him. "You're getting a time out!" He carried the boy to a corner and left him there.

"We're so sorry," Amita said to Don and Robin. "Suruli hasn't quite mastered playing with others." She wasn't ready to give them the diagnosis yet, but the incident illustrated to her the importance of getting therapy for Suruli. Charlie, on the other hand, thought of it as part of the terrible twos.

Amita decided to tell her mother, with whom she shared almost everything over the phone explaining to her what it meant. Amita wanted someone to talk to about Suruli. She felt like a single mother.

"Are you sure he's autistic?" her mother asked with some doubt.

"He's got the symptoms," Amita said. "I took him to a specialist, but he said it was just a developmental mother's intuition tells me otherwise."

"You've got to follow that," her mother agreed. "The son of a friend of mine is a very good doctor. He's been known to diagnose even the rarest of diseases."

"What's his specialty?"

"He's a general doctor."

"Oh."

"Would you like me to set up appointment? You could come when Cal Sci is on Christmas Break in December. It would also be a good chance for a visit."

"I don't think Suruli would hold up for so long in an airplane," Amita said diplomatically.

"You don't have to do a direct flight."

"It's okay, mom. I think I'll wait on that."

"I'll send you some materials about him in my next email," Amita's mom said. "Give Suruli my love! Tell Hugh that I said hi."

"I will."

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Amita and Charlie, in between classes, took Suruli to his first speech therapy session.

The speech therapist, named Bob, introduced himself to Amita and Suruli, who seemed focused on a toy.

Amita and Charlie wanted to be there during the session, but the speech therapist told them, "I need to be one on one with Suruli. Your being in the session could distract him."

"Okay." Amita reluctantly agreed. "He likes anything with wheels or mechanical. Don't bother with stuffed animals."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bob said and took the boy. Amita sat down in the waiting room, reading a book on autism she obtained from the Cal Sci library, while Charlie worked on a math related article. Eventually, Bob and Suruli came out.

"How'd it go?"

"I tried to get him to say some consonant sounds," Bob began. "He said one."

"Which one?"

"MM: the sound made for 'm'."

"That's a start," Charlie said, feeling hopeful

Amita asked, "Is there anything we could be doing at home?"

"Reading to him and showing him how to sign."

"How to sign?"

"Young children learn signing much faster than talking. There are lots of books out there on showing kids how to sign."

"We'll do that," Amita said.

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That night at dinner, Hugh asked, "Can I go to a party on Saturday?"

"Whose party is it?" Amita asked.

"Friend of a friend. It's for his birthday."

"No. You know the rules. You can't go to parties unless I know the parent in charge," Amita said.

"No fair!"

"Life is not always fair," Amita told him, as she struggled to feed a reluctant Suruli his dinner. He would only eat the steamed carrots, and the meatloaf, but not the mashed potatoes.

After a few sullen moments, Hugh said, "I got homework to finish. Can I be excused from the table?"

"Go ahead," Charlie said. "I'll check your math homework when you're done."

"Okay."

"How did the speech therapy go?" Alan asked.

"He said the sound for 'm'," Charlie said brightly.

"He needs more than speech therapy," Amita said. "I want to put him in occupational therapy."

"Amita, he's not even three!" Charlie protested. "And the developmental pediatrician didn't recommend that."

"I made an appointment with another developmental pediatrician," Amita said. "It's in a few months, but I put us on the cancellation list."

Charlie took a deep breath. "Amita, why do you keep insisting that our son has autism?"

"I've been doing research," Amita replied. "Have you read the materials I've given you?"

"Some of it," Charlie said. "I'm still not convinced."

"He's got trouble with communication, he has strange play, and doesn't interact well with others." Amita listed using her fingers.

"That all can be explained by the developmental delay," Charlie argued. "It's hard to interact with others if you can't communicate."

"Charlie, our son needs help!"

"And he's getting it."

"He needs more help," Amita argued. "Why can't you see that?"

Furious at what she was implying, Charlie got up and left the dining room in a huff.

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Hugh, that Saturday, had some friends over, and they hung out in his room for one purpose: to watch forbidden movies. One of his friends, Josh brought movies and his laptop.

"What have ya got?" Hugh asked Josh.

"I've got , Hell House 2, Aztec Mummy 7 and, Demons 4."

The five boys voted and Hell House 2 won by one vote.

Unfortunately for them, Amita made a surprise visit to Hugh's room. "What's going on? What are you watching?" She had heard the sounds of a movie being played and then a laptop being closed.

"Nothing," Hugh lied.

"What's behind your back?" Amita demanded of Josh. Reluctantly, Josh showed it to her.

"Open it."

He did so, and she saw a paused movie, during a time when one of the main characters was running around.

She took it from him, ejected the DVD, and saw the title. "You all are too young to watch this! I want you all to call your parents and tell them to pick you up. This party is over. Hugh: You and I are going to talk."

When all of them left, Amita and Charlie lectured Hugh.

"Don't you realize that could mess up your mind?" Amita demanded. "And you lied to us! You said that you and your friends were going to play board games!"

"You're grounded!" Charlie added. "And there'll be no TV or internet for a week."

"Yes, Dad." With that Hugh got up, said goodnight, and went to his room to sulk.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Amita, the next day, from a bookstore got a book on teaching little ones to sign, and started teaching herself. At Cal Sci, on Monday she made copies of a few pages for the Nanny before going to have lunch with Charlie at one of CalSci's cafeterias. Things were still tense between them, but they happened to be working on a consulting project together for a software company. After talking about the project for a while, Amita switched the subject to Suruli.

"Have you studied the sign language book yet?" she asked Charlie.  
"Some," he answered.

"I'm having the nanny learn a few signs, so that she can teach him and  
talk with him."

"Good idea," Charlie agreed, taking a bite out of the dry meatloaf.

Aftera pause, he said, "Let's make a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Amita asked suspiciously.

"Don't research too much but spend some time with him as his mom, not as his doctor," Charlie said.

"Charlie! It's my duty as his mother to do research on what could be his condition," Amita said with exasperation. "That Developmental Pediatrician misdiagnosed him."

"Amita, I'm sure that we could eventually find a doctor that agrees with you, but what help would that be to Suruli?" Charlie challenged his wife.

Just then, one of Cal Sci's few art teachers came up to them, named Swati Chandrasekar, and said hi to Amita.

"Long time no see," he told her.

Amita explained to Charlie, "He was auditing that ceramics class with me."

"Fun times! I was wondering, if you'd be willing to help me on a project."

"What kind of project?"

"I wanna use computers as part of my next exhibit, and I know you teach computer science."

"You mentioned wanting to do use computers as part of an installation," Amita remembered.

"Would you be willing to help me program the computers to interact with the public."

"Amita doesn't work on those kind of projects," Charlie said.

"Usually." Amita gave him a look.

"You could easily hire a student to do the work for much less money," Charlie pointed out.

"But I need...someone with expertise to make my vision a reality."

"I'll need details, so I can give you an estimate," Amita said.

"I've got drawings of what I'd like to do. Why don't we meet at four?"

"Sure."

"Well, I gotta go." He looked at his watch. "I have a class."

When he was out of earshot, Charlie asked, "You never mentioned him."

"We just made small talk while we each were shaping our clay."

"And why are you so eager to do this project?"

"It sounds interesting, and like a change of pace."

Charlie picked at his food roughly. "The project is beneath you."

"No it isn't."

"I gotta get to class." Charlie gruffly got up put his tray on the carousel for trays, and left.

Amita ended up taking the project, and found herself enjoying it. Suruli started to learn a few simple signs such as 'milk', 'yes', 'no' 'cookies', 'juice' 'car' and 'eat'. Speech therapy went along rather slowly.

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The Pasadena unified School District had its own speech therapist and psychologist evaluate Suruli. To Amita's consternation, the district psychologist also diagnosed Suruli with having 'a developmental delay', The child was considered eligible for an IEP, but not in the way Amita wanted.

"What are we going to do now?" Amita asked worriedly, as she, Charlie and Suruli left the district psychologist's office

"Keep doing what we've been doing." Charlie said. " Taking him to speech therapy."

"That's not enough." Amita said. "He needs more. Much more."

At that moment, Suruli pulled at Amita's shirt.

"Yes sweetie?" she asked him.

He made the sign for 'cookies'.

"After lunch." she told him.

He made the sign again.

Amita made the sign for 'no'. The boy pouted, and yet again made the sign for cookies, but Amita did not waver. The trio went to Wendy's for lunch, and then Amita dropped off CHarlie as he had class first. Then, she left Suruli with the nanny.

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After her last class of the day ended, she noticed Charlie sitting at the back of the class. A part of her hoped that maybe he wanted to apologize, but that was not to be.

"I gotta to to DC," he told her when the last student left.

"What for ?"

"I can't discuss it."

"Oh..one of those jobs," Amita sighed. "Must you take it? What about Suruli and Hugh? Aren't there other mathematicians who could do it?"

"Amita, please," Charlie said. "My flight is in three hours."

"What about luggage?"

"I canceled one of my classes, and went home to pack." Charlie pointed to a suitcase. "I got a taxi to pick me up from here."

"I could have taken you," Amita said.

"You need to pick up Suruli from the nanny," Charlie pointed out and then instructed. "Tell everyone that I'm doing consultant work for the Miami police and that I'm staying at the holiday inn."

"Sure."

"The taxi arrives soon," Charlie said. "Keep me up to date on the boys."

"I will."

Charlie gave her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek, picked up his suitcase, and left Amita's classroom.

Amita then went to pick up the Suruli at the nanny's apartment. The two women greeted each other.

"I took him to the park," the nanny began. "But he hit another child who tried to use his tonka dump truck." The toy had been a gift from Alan.

"Okay. How did he play with the truck?"

"He would go up the slide, and let it go down."

After some more small talk, Amita left with the child. At home, she put Suruli in his play area, and got a glass of wine for herself. Alan would, upon coming home, cook dinner. Glass of wine in her hand, she worked on the project for the artist until Alan, with Hugh in tow, came.

"We're home!" Alan said, and went to say hi to his younger grandson. Then, he greeted Amita.

"Where's Charlie?"

"He has a consulting job with the Miami police."

"He didn't tell me anything about it," Alan remarked with puzzlement.

"It was a last minute, urgent thing." Amita kept her eye on her laptop.

"How long will Dad be gone?" Hugh asked.

"He didn't say."

"I could've gone with him," the teen protested.

"And miss school?" Alan asked.

"I could do my homework by the pool or beach," Hugh countered.

Alan said, "I'll go make dinner. Hugh, come on and help."

"Okay." Hugh followed his grandfather into the kitchen.

Soon, Swati called Amita on her cell phone.

"How's life?" he asked.

"Good," she said, not wanting to get into details.

"How's the project coming along?"

"It's getting there. I just have to fix a few bugs."

"When can I see it?

"Soon," she promised.

The two talked until Alan announced it that dinner was ready.

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At the dinner table, Suruli made the sign for 'dad'. He was used to Charlie being at the dinner table.

"He is working somewhere else," Amita said. "He'll be back before you know it."

The child pouted and refused to eat.

"Just wrap it up, and give it to him when he's hungry," Alan suggested.

Amita reluctantly got up to wrap Suruli's food. Eventually, the child made the sign for cookies, but Amita gave him dinner to his annoyance. He refused the food and wanted cookies. Eventually, she gave him a bath, put on his pajamas, and read him a story. She had started getting easier books about things he liked. Tonight was not a good night. He barely paid attention and seemed distracted. So, with a sigh, Amita put him in his crib.

"Goodnight." She kissed his forehead, turned off the lights, and left the room.

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Amita worked late into the night on the project after helping Hugh with his math homework. Charlie called, right after the plane landed.

"Hey!" Charlie said.

"How was the flight?" Amita asked.

"Smooth."

"Good."

"How's everyone? How'd they take it?"

"Fine, though Suruli missed you at dinner," Amita said.

Charlie walked out of the tunnel that lead from the exit of the plane. "Tell him and Hugh I'll see them again soon."

"I will."

"I'm..barely going to have time to keep in touch," Charlie told her.

"You're going to be quite busy?"

"Yeah."

"Charlie, Suruli hit another kid today," Amita told him. "In the park. He needs to learn social skills somehow."

"Maybe we could arrange playdates with colleagues at Cal Sci?" Charlie suggested " I know several professors with young children."

"He'll end up hitting his play dates," Amita worried. "He's very anti social right now, and the developmental delay does not explain that."

"He's just being a two year old," Charlie said for the umpteenth time to Amita's exasperation.

"I'm taking him to occupational therapy."

"Let's see what the other developmental pediatrician says," Charlie said, not thinking that it was a good idea to take him to an occupational therapist.

"Just think of it as him having another adult to play with," Amita said, hoping this approach would work. After some more strained conversation, they said their goodbyes, and hung up.

With a sigh, Amita poured herself some more wine and went to bed.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

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During the plane ride, Charlie thought, "Am I going to be any good as a father to Suruli?" He had asked himself this question many times ever since the child got the diagnosis of 'developmental delay'. While he knew it wasn't as serious as other things, such as autism, a diagnosis Amita insisted on, it still made him wonder if he did anything wrong. Maybe they should have gotten more educational toys or restricted television with more rigidity? Or what if they'd gotten a nanny with more experience?

He found himself distancing a bit from the child, out of insecurity, and only disciplining when the behavior affected others. While admiring Amita's dedication, he thought she was becoming obsessed and looking at the boy through the wrong lens. What the boy needed, in his view, was plenty of speech therapy, love and patience, though he wanted Suruli to be ready for kindergarten.

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By noon eastern time the next day, after meeting with a high level agent from the National Security Agency, Charlie was in a submarine, working on a top secret project that would save many lives. The first officer welcomed him and gave him a brief tour of the mess hall, the area where the mathematician would be sleeping and the main control area. Charlie had top security clearance and so could see as much as he wanted of the submarine. After grabbing a quick lunch, he went to work.

Meanwhile, Amita conducted her first class of the day, eventually noticing Swati sitting in a back room. She discretely acknowledged him, while still focused on her lecture. After the class, he greeted her and told her about some changes he wanted. Amita took note of them. They talked until it was time for Amita's next class.

For lunch, she had leftovers, while working on the project for Swati in her small office. Soon, the nanny called.

"I've got good news," she told Amita.

"What?"

"Suruli said a phrase at speech therapy!"

"Really! What phrase?"

"Choo choo!"

"That's great."

"He's been saying it a lot."

"I'm so glad! He's finally making progress!"

"I'm happy for him."

Just then, a student peered through the doorway and Amita had to leave the phone conversation.

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Charlie did not call until three days later, during the evening. Alan and Hugh had their turns to talk to him, first.

"How's school?" Charlie asked Hugh.

"Same."

"Keep up the good work," Charlie said.

"How are you helping the cops?" Hugh asked.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you. It' s an ongoing investigation."

"Okay."

"Help out with Suruli when you can," Charlie said.

"I will. He actually said something!"

"What?"

"Choo choo."

"That's great!"

"Suruli won't eat dinner."

"What do you mean?"

"He'll make the sign for Dad, and then won't eat. Amita is worried. I'll pass you to her." Hugh passed the phone to Amita

"So Suruli won't eat?" Charlie asked.

"His routine has been disrupted," Amita said. "He associates eating dinner with you."

"So he doesn't eat at all?"

"He'll eat a little bit before bed," Amita said, "Charlie, this isn't normal. Most kids would just be a little sad."

"I'll be back before ya know it," Charlie tried to assure her, "and he'll be eating dinner."

"I wish I could believe that."

"I gotta go." Charlie looked at the long line of annoyed uniformed men glaring at him. "I'll contact you when I can."

"Fine," Amita said. The couple said their goodbyes and hung up.

Amita got Suruli, gave him some fruit, and proceeded with the bed time routine.

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Charlie surprised them all, one Saturday morning two months later. Amita, with Suruli in her arms went downstairs only to find Charlie in the kitchen, with bags under his eyes and a general haggard appearance.

"Hey! Remember me?" Charlie asked the little boy. "It's Daddy."

The child made the sign for dad.

Charlie said. "I'll go make us some breakfast." Charlie put Suruli in his play area.

Eventually, Hugh came down the stairs, and noticed Charlie.

"Hey dad!" Hugh smiled.

"Good morning!"

"When did you get home?"

"Very early this morning."

"Cool."

"Sit down. I'm making scrambled eggs."

"Okay."

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On Monday, Charlie returned to all the classes, which had be graciously covered by various colleagues. He told each class that he had done consulting work with the Miami police. Right after his pre lunch class, Larry came to see him in the classroom.

"Larry!" Chalrie smiled.

"Charlie! How was Miami?"

"Lots of work," Charlie said.

"Charlie, could we have lunch? I'd like to talk with you about something rather delicate."

"Sure." Charlie was very curious. "Let's go."

The two friends went to one of Cal Sci's cafeteria's, got their food and sat down.

"What did you want to talk about?" Charlie asked.

"Suruli."

"Amita didn't put you up to this did she?" Charlie asked suspiciously.

"No," Larry assured him. "It's based on my own observations."

"Really?"

"I came to visit one Saturday, when Alan invited me over. I noticed some odd behaviors in Suruli."

"Such as?"

"The way he lines up his cars, and hyperfocuses on his legos," Larry began. "Doesn't seem quite typical."

"Kids his age are eccentric," Charlie shrugged.

"He's not like other kids his age I've been around," Larry said. "They either interact with you, or withdraw out of shyness. Suruli just seemed preoccupied with his toys."

"So you're saying that Suruli's behavior can't be explained by age?"

"Charlie, I've known people with Asbergers or autism, and Suruli has some of those traits," Larry added.

"You think so?"

"Yes I do. His lack of interaction, his love of routine, the tantrums, and the lack of talking, which I understand is unusual at his age."

"What tantrums?"

"He had a tantrum, when there was a short circuit and the TV turned off.."

"We've taken him to a developmental pediatrician. He said that Suruli has as developmental delay."

"Get a second opinion."

"Amita made an appointment with another developmental pediatrician."

"That's a good move on her part," Larry said, then advised, "Observe your son. Do some more research."

"I sure will." Charlie was now a little more convinced.

The two men talked more and after lunch, Charlie meet with his advisee and then did his own research. He looked at the information with such different eyes to the point, where he went to see Amita to apologize. To his surprise, Swati was there, talking with her.

"Charlie," Amita smiled "You remember Swati. We're testing a few things."

"I'll talk to you later then."

"I've a got class soon. How about three?"

"Sure." Charlie returned to his office.

Charlie returned to Amita's office at three, and began, "I believe..."

"Believe what?"

"That Suruli has autism."

"Really? What made you change your mind?"

"Larry and I talked," Charlie said.

"And he convinced you?"

"He helped me see things in a different light."

"Welcome aboard," Amita smiled.

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At dinner, Charlie was subdued and didn't say much. He picked at his food, and looked at his younger son. Suruli had been a second chance for Charlie to do parenting from the beginning. With Hugh, he had missed so much. Charlie realized that some of his dreams of fatherhood might not come to fruition. So he grieved and worried.

"Will he be able to go to school with other kids? Live independently?" Charlie wondered, not knowing yet just how severe his son's autism would be. "What if he regresses?"

After dinner, Amita showed him some books that she had gotten on autism and Asbergers. Then, she put the boy to bed.

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Charlie found himself hit hard, when the second developmental pediatrician after three sessions of observations, and many pages of questions, diagnosed Suruli with borderline Pervasive Developmental Diagnosis-Not otherwise specified.

"Isn't that usually a temporary diagnosis?" Amita asked. To her, this was just a confirmation of what she had suspected.

"Children his age aren't exactly very good at social interaction to begin with, so it's harder to diagnose autism or Asbergers at this time."

"I see."

"I recommend speech therapy and occupational therapy. He'll need extra help in school."

"We'll make sure he gets it," Amita said.

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"I want a motorbike for my birthday," Hugh told Amita and Charlie over dinner, when the latter asked.

"No. It's too dangerous," Charlie said.

"I'd avoid the freeways," Hugh promised.

"How would you pay for the insurance?" Amita asked.

"Insurance?"

"In this state, every vehicle has to have insurance," Amita said.

"I could get a part time job."

"Absolutely not," Charlie said. "School comes first."

"What about a weekend job?"

"No. You need to have competitive grades," Charlie said.

"Besides, I think you're too young to get a license anyway," Amita added.

Hugh sighed. "It would use less gas than a car."

"Your life is worth much more than a few gallons of gas," Charlie told him.

Annoyed, Hugh asked to be excused from the table. Charlie gave the go ahead.

Suruli, for his part, refused to eat carrots, despite Amita's efforts.

Later, she struggled to get him to bath and then he tried to grab the book she was reading. With a sigh, she put in into his crib.

Then, she went to the master bedroom. They had turned Charlie's bedroom into Suruli's room, and then Alan and Margaret's room became theirs. Charlie was reading some book and was already in his boxers and tee shirt. Alan lived in the gargage-turned- guest house.

Amita, went to the bathroom to wash her hair and then came back. It was short now, so it didn't take too long.

"You used to be more involved," Amita complained. "And now you're distant with Suruli."

"Distant?"

"I don't see you carrying him, talking to him, or playing with him like before. Are you disappointed that he's autistic?"

"No!" Charlie replied emphatically. The truth was that he felt insecure, as a father.

"You sure act like it," Amita complained. "You and Suruli could be in the same room together and you don't even say a single word to him."

"I check up on him, see what he's doing."

"That's not the same. You don't sit down and join him, like I do."

"It's just that uh...he doesn't seem to like it," Charlie said lamely.

"He does, but you have to play by his rules, not yours," Amita said. "I now know how to play cars with him without there being a meltdown! Why? Because I actually spend time with him. I know he's not the son you wanted, but you've got him."

"I never said that!"

"Your actions do!"

"That's is not fair, Amita."

The two fought some more, until Charlie decided to go sleep in the living room.

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The next morning, Hugh noticed his father on the couch.

"Did you and Amtita fight?" Hugh asked.

"Uh?" Charlie said, not quite awake. "What time is it?"

"Seven forty five."

"Better get up then," Charlie mumbled.

"Why are you on the couch?" Hugh asked.

"My..snoring got really bad last night," Charlie said.

"Oh."

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For his fifteenth birthday party, which took place the Saturday before the actual event, Hugh invited a few friends from school. There was pizza, music, conversation, and even some dancing. Rose supervised the event, as did Amita and Charlie. They had decided that the party should take place in the Craftsman and that they would share the cost and the responsibility of chaperoning.

The loudness of the music made Suruli cry, so he was put in the Solarium, along with his play things. Alan kindly stayed in there with him, working on crosswords and Sudoku. Maggie, Don and Robin would join them for a birthday family dinner on the day of the actually event, as this was mostly a teenage party. It went quite well except when Charlie caught a couple of the guest huffing spray paint in the garage.

Hugh got a variety of presents, but the best one came from Amita and Charlie, who gave him a motor cycle simulation game, that came with two sets of handlebars.

"All the joy of motorcycle riding without the risks," Amita smiled.

"Thanks guys!" he told them. He then installed it on the computer, and there were races between him and various guests. Eventually, most of the guests left and it was just Hugh and three close friends, who went to his room.

One of them offered him a joint.

"Are you nuts! They'll smell it," Hugh said. "And I don't know about taking that stuff."

"Don't be a wuss."

"It's not your room we'd be smoking in," Hugh retorted.

"This was sure a cool party," the other friend said.

"Yeah," Hugh agreed.

"I got a copy of Playboy."

"Cool," the other friend said. "Show us."

The boys stared and gaped at the various pages of Playboy.

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The next day Suruli was lining up the many cars he had. Amita pushed Charlie to go the child's play area. Charlie tried to figure out the how of the lineup, and when he thought he did, he tried to help, but Suruli got upset, flapped his arms, and hit him.

"No!" Charlie scolded. "That's not nice!"

Suruli continued to be upset, and was on the border of melting down, when Amita came in from the dining room. She tried to distract him, but he wouldn't calm down.

"What happened?"

"I tried to help with his cars," Charlie said. "And he hit me."

"Ask him where the car goes," Amita advised. As if inspired, she gave Suruli, after he calmed down, a plank of wood so that he could see his cars go down. He loved it.

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Before everyone knew it, Suruli's first day of school came. At the IEP meeting, it was decided that Suruli would go to regular preschool three times a week, get an aide for an hour a day, and get additional speech therapy through the school district. Amita objected, as the district psychologist diagnosed him with a developmental delay, rather than with PDD-NOS. After some back and forth, some modifications were made and Amita signed off on it reluctantly, as the speech therapist as told her that IEPs were a way to get help, not diagnosis. She hoped that down the line, she could call for another IEP meeting and get more help, using Suruli's experiences in preschool.

Since it was his first day, Charlie, Amita and Alan came along with the nanny to take him. This disrupted his routine as he was used to having breakfast at home, and then watching Sesame Street for a while at the Nanny's apartment on weekdays, or on weekends, watching TV at home. Once they were in the classroom, Amita explained, "Sweetie, as I've been saying, you're going to school because you're a big boy and to learn."

Suruli, now three frowned and said, "Tee Vee!" The speech therapy was starting to pay off.

"Later. Now it's time for school," Amita told him gently, doing the sign for it.

"No!" Suruli protested. "Tee Vee!"

"It'll be fun," Alan said.

"**TEE VEE! TEE VEE! TEE VEE,**" Suruli screamed and started to flap his arms. Amita tried to use the techniques she had read about to calm him, but to no avail.

Amita fretted, "Maybe it's too soon for school"

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

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Suruli continued to cry and yell "TEE VEE! TEE VEE" in the preschool classroom.

"He needs to start school sometime," Alan gently said.

Amita tried to show some blocks to Suruli, but the tantrum continued. Soon, the teacher, Annie Clark a brunette in her late twenties came up to them.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"He's upset because he can't watch Sesame Street right now," the nanny told Annie.

Charlie started to notice the other parents looking at them.

"Suruli, I thought you were a big boy," Alan said. "Big boys go to school, and don't cry just because they can't watch Sesame Street."

"Alan!" Amita protested. "This is a meltdown, not a tantrum."

"This looks like a tantrum," Alan muttered, and suggested to Amita in a low voice, "Why don't we let him cry it out? Once he stops getting the attention, he'll stop."

"I don't think so," Amita disagreed.

"I agree," the teacher said. "I'll take it from here."

"Where's his aide?" Amita asked.

"He gets her later."

"I'd rather stay, until he calms down," Amita said. "Especially since he's in a strange place."

"That's fine. I'm sorry but I have to start class," with that the teacher left them.

After about half an hour of cajoling and comforting from Amita, Suruli stopped crying, and looked tired.

"Are you ready for school now?" Amita asked gently.

The boy didn't answer. Since it was storytime, Amita got the boy's hand, and led him to the circle. When he was seated, she wiped his tears, caressed his head, kissed him, and with the others said a reluctant goodbye and left.

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"I hope he can adjust," Amita worried when the trio was out of the classroom.

"He will," Charlie assured her. "Mom once told me that Don had a tantrum on his very first day of school."

So, the nanny, Alan, and the couple split ways.

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Two days later, Amita got a call from the teacher as the former had her lunch.

"It's Ms. Clark. Your son's teacher. How are you?"

"Fine," Amita said.

"I'm concerned about your son's behavior."

"His behavior?" Amita asked, worried.

"First of all, he hits other children and sometimes has tantrums whenever he has to change activity."

"He has meltdowns," Amita corrected. "I'm sorry about the hitting. My husband, the nanny, and I are trying to teach him physical boundaries."

"What kind of therapy is he getting?" As his teacher, she knew that he had borderline PDD-Nos.

"He goes to private occupational therapy and speech therapy."

"Good."

"What do you suggest I do about the hitting?" Amita asked

"Be consistent in the consequences. For example. Lets say you're taking him to the park. Tell him ahead of time that if he hits someone, he'll have to go home, not as punishment, but for the sake of the other children. Also try to get his side, somehow, see what's bothering him. Hitting, for little ones, is a way of communication. I've noticed, that here, Suruli gets upset when others touch what he has built with the blocks."

"Thank you," Amita said.

"Here in the class room, I give him a time out, and try to explain why I gave him the time out."

"How is he doing otherwise?" Amita asked lamely.

"Fine. He's a very curious little boy, and gets very creative with the blocks."

"My brother in law jokes that he'll become an engineer some day," Amita remarked.

"And that may be true," Annie added "Whenever I have the class draw, he makes pictures of cars."

The two talked some more, and then the teacher had to go.

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Later, Amita went to see Charlie and tell him what the teacher said.

"And it's only the second day!" Amita said, ending her narration.

"What about Montessori schooling? There's a Montessori school near us," Charlie suggested, having done some research.

"I've looked into Montessori schools too," Amita said, "but I don't know if it'll be a good fit. He needs support."

Charlie said. "Montessori schools seem to have the very things that Suruli needs such as as lessons in practical life and sensory education. Let's put him there part time, see how it works out."

"I'll want to see the school first," Amita said.

"And we will. I made an appointment with the director of admissions of the San Marino Montessori School next week," Charlie said, enthused. "The approach seems to be student oriented."

"Students do projects as a means of learning," Amita remembered from her reading.

"Sounds like something Suruli might prefer,to listening to a teacher all day," Charlie said.

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So Amita and Charlie talked with the admissions director and toured the school, and then the classroom, where the three to six class was. All the children, of different ages, were busy in various activities. Amita noticed a child with down syndrome. The teacher, named Sarah, kindly explained what the students were doing and showed them what one of them was working on.

"Do you have experience with children on the autism spectrum?" Amita asked.

"Yes I do," she assured Amita. "Currently, I have two students on the spectrum."

Amita continued, "How do you accommodate them and their needs?"

"For example, I'll make adjustments if say, the student finds a piece of material that he or she does not like, and try to be understanding if something is overwhelming."

"My child isn't talking quite up to his age level. Will that be a problem?"

"The Montessori method puts emphasis on language development," Sarah replied. "And he'll be working mostly on his own projects."

After a few more questions from Amita, the teacher requested that Suruli come to the class one day so that she could evaluate the child.

"How about Friday?" Amita asked. Her last last class ended at ten.

"Friday at one is good," Sarah agreed.

The couple thanked her, said their goodbyes, and left.

As they neared the car, Charlie asked, "What do you think?"

"The Montessori philosophy has some good points," Amita said. "And this school seems to have more flexibility than where's he's going now."

"And that's what Suruli needs," Charlie agreed.

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So on Friday, Amita took Suruli to be evaluated. With worry and nervously, she walked with him to the classroom, hoping for the best.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Amita stopped just before they arrived in the classroom.

"Like I told you at home, this nice lady is going to ask you some questions," she told Suruli. "So, please listen to her. This school is going to be much better for you."

With that, mother and son went into the classroom. Sarah welcomed them.

"Hi!" Suruli said.

"Hello," the teacher responded. "I'm Ms. Anderson. Suruli how old are you?"

He held up three fingers.

Then, the teacher asked him to fetch something, and he did so. Then, she showed him around, though he got distracted by the blocks, to Amita's worry. When the mini 'tour' finished, Sarah left Suruli to play with the blocks and took Amita aside.

"He seems able to follow directions," she told Amita. "And has curiosity. He'll be a good fit."

"Thank you," Amita smiled.

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The arrangements were made, and Suruli was to start school the following Monday for three days a week and four hours a day to start.

"So, kids get to do their own thing at Montessori schools?" Hugh asked that night at dinner.

"They do projects as a means of learning," Charlie explained. "For example, one kid Amita and I saw was doing a project that allowed her to learn about her letters."

"Is there homework?"

"I didn't ask about that," Charlie admitted. "Since Suruli is going to preschool."

"I wish I could just work on projects instead of listening to boring teachers," Hugh said, thinking of his math teacher.

"It wouldn't do you any good. You're a kid who needs structure," Alan disagreed. "And that's what that private school you go to provides."

"Dad, could I go to Costa Rica for Summer break?"

"Costa Rica?"

"Is this cool program where kids get lessons in Spanish, help with stuff and live with a host family. It's educational," Hugh said. A couple of his friends were going.

"Do you have a brochure?"

"Yeah. In my backpack."

"I'll take a look at it after dinner," Charlie said, not making any promises.

"It'll improve my Spanish," Hugh told him.

"Let us see the brochure," Amita told him diplomatically.

After dinner, Hugh showed Amita, Alan, and Chalrie the brochure, as they sat in the living room.

"My Spanish teacher has gone a few times," Hugh told them.

"We'll talk to him and think about it," Charlie promised.

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Amita gave notice at Suruli's current school, and personally told the Ms. Clark about the transfer a few days before, thanking her.

Amita asked, "Has the hitting improved?"

"A little," Ms. Clark said. "He sometimes yells 'No' to classmates he thinks are bothersome."

"I see."

"And he's a bit of a loner."

"Really?"

"The hitting causes kids to stay away."

"Oh."

"Maybe a Montessori will do him good," the teacher admitted. "I wish him the best."

"Thank you."

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Amita, Charlie, the nanny and Alan dropped off Suruli at school, and hoped that things would work out.

"Bye sweetie!" Amita gave him a kiss. "Remember. No hitting! If someone bothers you, show the teacher."

"Good luck!" Charlie told the boy.

"Have fun!" Alan said.

"Bye-Bye!" Suruli said.

Soon, the teacher welcomed him, and patiently got him started on a project.

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Amita herself went to pick up the child to see how he was. She came just a little before he was to leave.

"Surprise!" Amita greeted him after letting the teacher know she was there.

"Hi!" Suruli looked up, from his blocks.

"Can I see your project?" Amita asked. A part of her started to worry that maybe the blocks would distract him.

He got up, and she followed him to a little pile of various papers and other materials, beside it was his project, or at least, the beginnings of it.

"Good job!" she told him. "I look forward to you bringing it home!"

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At dinner, Charlie told Hugh the good news. "I talked to your Spanish teacher last week, and he assured me it was a good experience. So, Amita and I are letting you go."

"Thanks guys!" Hugh grinned.

"Don't forget to get souvenirs for Suruli, your mother Uncle Don, Aunt Robin, Maggie, and Grandpa," Amita told him.

"I won't!"

"And behave with the host family," Amita continued. "Help out when you can. That family is doing you a big favor."

"Okay."

"How did Suruli do at School today?" Alan asked.

"Well he started his first project," Amita said.

"Good." Alan nodded.

"He seemed happy when I picked him up," Amita said.

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Charlie looked at himself in the mirror, that was in the bathroom. He couldn't help but notice a bigger belly, and the increasing number of greys that mixed in with the black hair. There were wrinkles, but those were of secondary importance.

Just then, Amita came in as the door was unlocked. "You okay?"

"Fine," Charlie said, as Amita undressed and turned on the shower and got into it.

"May I join you?"

"I'm gonna be quick," she said. "I'm working on my new project."

"Right, a computer game for autistic kids," Charlie remembered.

"Yeah. I got some new ideas."

"What kind of ideas?"

Amita explained them in some detail, as she showered. Charlie agreed with them and made some suggestions.

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In bed, Amita worked on her project, while Charlie read to Suruli. After putting the boy to bed, Charlie went to his and Amita's room. Then, he did calculations for a consulting project.

After quite a while, there was a knock on their door.

"It's me," Hugh said from behind it.

"Come in." Amita covered herself.

"I need help with my math homework."

"It's almost ten." Amita looked at the clock on her nightside.

"I was working on the rough draft of an essay, and my other homework," Hugh explained.

Charlie got up. "I'll help you."

"Thanks!" Hugh said. "I'll be in the dining room."

Eventually, Charlie came back.

"He finally got it," he told her, as he went into bed a while later again. Then, he asked, "Are you sure you don't want to come with me to present my paper at the conference?"

"I don't like the idea of both of us leaving Suruli," Amita said. "He gets upset with major changes in routine."

"It'll only be for two days," Charlie assured her. "And we both need a break."

"I can't leave him," Amita said.

"We need time as a couple," Charlie said.

"Suruli is not a normal kid," Amita said. "You need to accept that."

"I have accepted it," Charlie said. "But he can handle being without us for a couple of days."

"No he can't. You expect too much. Think of him."

"I do!"

"How can you think about romantic getaways with we have a son, who needs us constantly?"

"Not that constantly," Charlie said.

"If you spent more time with him, you'd realize that he needs constant attention."

"He'd be with dad and the nanny."

"It's not the same," Amita said. "He needs his mother, at least, to be there. Why can't you understand?"

"I do understand!" Charlie protested.

"No you don't. For all practical purposes, I feel like a single mother," Amita admitted.

"What? I help!" Charlie became offended

"Not enough."

"I read to him, feed him, spend time with him...," Charlie started to argue.

"But not quality time!" Amita interrupted.

"You're never satisfied," Charlie complained.

Charlie went to sleep on the couch.

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Amita took Suruli to school the next day, and walked with him to where his project was.

"Have fun!" she kissed him.

When she left, a little girl about his age came up to him and started grabbing some of his materials. He tried to grab them back. They were locked in a battle of wills.

"Hannah, Suruli, there's plenty of supplies," Sarah told them gently. "No need to fight." The teacher led Hannah to her project, and Suruli worked some more. Then, he decided to get more supplies, but went to the wrong area.

He got scolded by a six year old, who took the material from him. "That's not for you! It's for big kids. Go over there!"

Suruli tried to get the material back, but the six year old was too fast. Another, kinder, six year old boy lead Suruli to the area where the younger ones were supposed to get their supplies.

Suruli got his supplies, worked for a while, and then went to play with blocks.

Before he knew it, the nanny came to pick him up and take him in her car to where she lived.

He upon seeing his lunch, which consisted of baked fish with couscous, simply told her, "No."

"I can't give you peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch every day," the nanny said gently. "Your mother would not like it."

He pushed the plate away, and made the sign for cookies.

"No lunch, no cookies."

Suruli again made the sign for cookies. This standoff was interrupted by a knock on the door.

The nanny went to it. "Who is it?"

"Amita," Amita replied. She let her in.

"I had to cancel one of my classes because of a rat problem, so I thought I'd check up on Suruli," Amita said.

"He seemed content when I picked him up from school," the nanny said. "But he refuses to eat his lunch."

"What did you make him?"

"Baked fish, with cous cous."

"Sounds healthy," Amita nodded. "Maybe try to do chicken next time though."

"I will."

"Give him fruits." Amita then went to Suruli, and spent some time with him. Mother and son played with some cars until she had to go.

"Sorry, sweetie. I'll see you soon," Amita left.

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Meanwhile, a CIA agent, named Christina dressed very casually to blend in, came into Charlie's office.

"What do you want?" Charlie said, recognizing the agent, getting up, and closing the door.

"We need your expertise," she told him.

"Sure," Charlie said.

"You'll need to go to Groene Haven, in the Caribbean"

Charlie sighed. "I have two kids who need me."

"Both of whom are going to private schools," she said. "You'll be paid well."

"You know damn well, it's not about the money," Charlie said. "If it were, I wouldn't bother with teaching." He indicated his office. "How long?"

"As long as it takes," she told him. "Tell your family that you're consulting for Interpol."

"Isn't there anyone else?"

"No. We've already had our own people take a stab at it; lives are at stake here."

"I'll go," Charlie said reluctantly.

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Amita was angry, and had feelings of abandonment when Charlie told her upon coming home.

"I can't believe this! Your sons need you! Especially Suruli!" Amita said. "Can't you do your work for Interpol here?"

"No."

"How long?"

"I don't know."

"I can't help but feel that you doing this to get away for a while!" Amita accused him.

"Amita, no! Lives could be at stake!" Charlie said. "That's why I took the job. I'm not trying to get away."

"You never used to travel so much for your consulting work before," Amita added suspiciously. "And now it's going to be twice since Suruli was born."

"It was nothing planned on my part. Things come up that take me away. Like with Don. Robin seems to take it in stride."

"Because she had to," Amita said. "And that's what she signed up for. I didn't."

"I'll be back before you know it."

"You'll be in the Groen Haven, while I'm here dealing with everything. My parents are coming in two weeks."

"I thought they were coming in the summer?"

"They say that they'll be too busy then," Amita said. "The problem is that don't quite believe that Suruli has borderline PDD-NOS."

"They're smart people, I'm sure they'll observe him, and figure it out," Charlie said more out of hope than optimism.

"Dinner must be ready," Amita said. "I gotta make sure Suruli eats." With she turned around in a huff, picked up the child, and went to the dining room.

Charlie told Alan and Hugh the news.

"Couldn't Amita get the .. uh clearance so you two could work on this project for Interpol together?" Alan asked, having noticed a strain in the relationship.

"It would take a long time," Charlie said quickly, and served himself food.

"So you're getting paid to go to the Groen Haven?" Hugh asked.

"Yeah. One of the benefits of getting a doctorate, or two," Charlie smiled at his eldest.

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Amita, very early the next morning took Charlie to the airport. They fought during the ride there as Amita accused and Charlie defended himself yet again. Then when they arrived at the right terminal, he got off the car in silence, getting his suitcases. Amita saw him get into the airport and returned home.

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Two weeks later, around eleven in the morning, Amita picked up her parents. They were happy to see her.

"Where's Suruli?" Tapti asked.

"In school. He gets out soon," Amita said. "He doesn't like changes in his routine."

"But he's getting a visit from his grandparents!" Tapti protested.

"You'll see him soon enough," Amita promised her.

Eventually, they arrived at Suruli's school.

"We'll wait until it's time," she told them.

"So, is he learning at this school?" Sanjay asked.

"Yes he is," Amita said.

They talked of various things, relatives, family friends, etc, until Amita said. "It's time. Let's go get him."

After talking to the teacher, who told her that Suruli finished his first project, Amita gave her parents a quick tour of the three to six class and then went to Suruli's area.

After introducing Suruli to his grandparents, Amita asked, "Can I see the project you finished?"

Suruli showed it to her, and she congratulated him. "I'm so proud of you!"

"What did you make?" Sanjay asked.

"He doesn't quite talk yet," Amita reminded him. "Because of the PDD-NOS"

"Your cousin Dharuna didn't talk until she was five," Sanjay remarked.

"So, the children are left to their own devices?" Tapti asked.

"They are given some instructions, but they learn through doing projects like the one Suruli just finished."

"Oh." Tapti expressed her doubts.

"It's an effective teaching method. Suruli was doing badly in regular preschool," Amita assured Tapti.

"Children need structure and guidance," Sanjay told her.

"And they get it at Montessori, but are given the flexibility to learn at their own pace."

"The daughter of a friend of mine from university sent her son to one of these schools in Canada. She said that the teachers let her child play the whole day," Sanjay remarked

"Not all Montessori schools are the same."

So, she took them home and they had lunch.

"So, Charlie is still doing work for Interpol?" Sanjay asked.

"Yes. He doesn't' know when he'll be back." Amita poured water for Suruli and herself.

"Your father and I were thinking of taking Suruli to Disneyland."

"I don't know. The crowds and noise might be too much," Amita worried.

"We could go on a weekday, when everyone's at work or school," Sanjay pointed out. "It'll be empty."

"Fine," Amita relented after some thinking. "I'll go with you guys."

So, early the next morning, the four of them got into Amita's car, and left for Disneyland.

TBC

_*Author's Note: Groen Haven- is a country I made up for purposes that will later become apparent. In my mind, it's a former Dutch colony in the Caribbean. Groen Haven is Dutch for 'Green Port'._


	15. Chapter 15

Amita made sure to pack all of Suruli's preferred fruits and snacks and told him about the change in routine the night before.

"We're going to a fun place tomorrow! So, you won't be going to the nanny's."

Then, she read to the child.

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"He looks so much like you, when you were three." Tapti beamed as Amita put Suruli in his booster seat. He played with a toy car.

After about an hour or so of driving, they arrived in Disneyland and parked in a large, concrete structure.

Their first stop was section of Disneyland called Fantasy Land. Suruil sat in his stroller as Amita pushed him.

"Let's go on the merry-go-round ," Tapti suggested.

Amita got the boy out of his stroller, and the four went to the merry-go-round. Amita then put the child on a horse. After the merry-go-round started, Suruli started to cry, due to the up and down movement of the horse. He was quickly taken off the horse by Amita, who comforted him. After what seemed like a long time to mother and son, they all got off the merry-go-round, but Suruli still cried for a long while.

"Is this his first time at Disneyland?" Sanjay asked.

"Yes," Amita told him.

"Does he cry a lot when you take him out?" Tapti asked.

"It depends on the environment. He gets overwhelmed sometimes."

They went on other rides, the few that three year olds could go on. Suruli enjoyed some of them, others made him start crying for one reason or another. Amita then insisted they stop going on rides and just walk around. Tapti bought Suruli a hat that was in the shape of two ears, even having it embroidered with his name. Amita bought a Disneyland keychain for Hugh.

It was then, that Amita decided that she needed to go to the bathroom.

When, she returned, her parents were talking and Suruli was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Suruli?" she demanded.

"He's right here...," Tapti started to say, but turned around and saw that he wasn't there.

Frantically, they started searching for him, even going into the various stores nearby.

"Have you seen a little boy, about three?" Amita asked a cashier. "He looks like me, but is a little lighter skinned."

"No I haven't. We have an area for lost kids on Main Street," he told her.

"He's only three," Amita said, and went on with her search. She called for him and grew more frantic by the minute. Then, she called Don's cell phone.

"Eppes?"

"Don! Suruli's gone missing! I need you to send someone!"

"How long?" Don asked.

"Almost an hour."

"He might have just wandered off," Don tried to assure her.

Amita told Don, "What if he's been abducted?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Don said. "Have you talked to security?"

"No."

"Do that."

"I will."

"Have you gone to where the lost kids are supposed to go?"

"No, but he's only three."

"Someone could have taken him there," Don said. "Look, talk to security and work with them. Keep me up to date."

"Fine," Amita agreed reluctantly and hung up. Then,after the trio went to the area in Main Street for lost kids, talked a cashier of a store into calling security.

A uniformed woman named Brenda came to see Amita and her worried parents at one of Disneyland's many stores.

"Where did you last see your son?" Brenda asked Amita.

Amita, Sanjay and Tapti led her to where the boy was last seen, and then Brenda asked for a recent picture of the child. Amita gave her one, and a description of what he was wearing. Brenda, with a walkie talkie, described the boy and asked fellow security officers to keep an eye out.

Suddenly, someone answered Brenda via the walkie talkie. "He's been spotted."

"Where?"

The voice on the walkie talkie told her and Brenda, along with Amita and her parents, ran to Suruli's location. There he was, sitting on a bench, moving his toy car back and forth, while eating a Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream bar. His face was full of ice cream.

"Sweetie!" Amita hugged her son and kissed him. "We were worried sick! Where did you get the ice cream?"

"We didn't give him any money," Tapti assured Amita.

"I bought him the ice cream," a woman, looking to be in her sixties said. She, with her salt and pepper hair was next to a stroller with a baby in it, waiting for her family to come back from a ride she nor the baby could get on.

Amita thanked the woman, Brenda and the other Disneyland security guard, who had helped find Suruli.

Then, she got some napkins and wiped the boy's mouth when he finished the ice cream.

"Don't leave like that!" Amita told him. "Especially not without telling me."

"You had us worried," Tapti said.

Just then, Charlie, from the Groen Havian capital, Katoenenstad, called "Hey! How's Disneyland?"

"Suruli got lost."

"Have you called Security? Don?" Charlie worried.

"Yes. We just found him," Amita said.

"How is he enjoying Disneyland otherwise?"

"Well, he did like some of the rides," Amita said. Not wanting to dwell on the negative parts of this trip in front of her parents. "And some nice woman bought him an ice cream."

"How did he get lost?"

"He wondered off."

"That's not the first time he does that," Charlie noticed. "Maybe he needs a bracelet that has our cell numbers or something."

"Maybe," Amita agreed.

"Look I gotta get back to work. Give Suruli my love and tell your parents I said hi."

"I will." With that, Amita hung up.

"Was that Charlie?" Tapti asked. "How is he doing?"

"Fine," Amita said.

"What kind of work is he doing for Interpol?"

"He didn't give a lot of detail. Some of his work is like that," Amita said.

"But you help him a lot in his consulting work," Sanjay pointed out.

"I don't have the clearance he has," Amita explained.

Eventually, the four left the park, and went home.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Amita got up around eight, as she had taken time off to be with her parents, when she heard Suruli get up and make noise. She slept in his room, while her parents took her and Charlie's room.

"Good morning!" Amita told her son. "Let's brush your teeth, so we can have breakfast."

So, Amita gave Suruli breakfast and sat him down to watch Sesame Street. Then, she had breakfast herself. Her parents, still jet lagged, were sleeping. Amita, after turning off the TV and putting Suruli in his play area, graded tests for one of her Astrophysics courses and then did research on autism, for the computer program she was starting to design for autistic children.

Around noon, after Suruli had his lunch, Amita's parents came down the stairs. Amita took them and Suruli to a restaurant for lunch. The boy kept himself busy with a toy ambulance.

As the adults opened their menus, a familiar voice called to Amita.

"Dr. R!" a young man called from across the room and walked towards her. "How are ya?"

"Fine. I'm about to eat with my parents," Amita said and introduced them to the student, named Josh, and vice versa.

"I'm waiting for my girlfriend," he told them, and saw Suruli. "Is this your kid?"

"Yes," Amita said. "His name is Suruli."

"Hey, little guy!" Josh greeted the child, who ignored him.

"Say hi, Suruli," Tapti told the child gently. "Your mother has said that you can say it."

"He's rather shy," Amita said lamely and apologetically.

"My sis was like that too when she was little," Josh said. After some more small talk, he excused himself and left.

"Why did you ignore the nice man?" Tapti asked Suruli.

"Mom, it's what he does," Amita said. "It's part of the Pervasive Developmental Disorder."

"Are you sure he has it?" Sanjay asked. "Didn't another doctor diagnose something else?"

"The first developmental pediatrician diagnosed him with a developmental delay, but it was a misdiagnosis."

"What is it with American Doctors making a pathology out of everything?" Sanjay asked. "Your cousin Dharuna, when she was Suruli's age, did not say one word. Now, you can't get her to stop!"

"It's not just the talking, dad. Suruli tunes people out, lines up his toys, gets overwhelmed easily, and just doesn't interact with people very well," Amita said. "Like you just saw. Most three year olds would either smile, or hide from Josh."

At that moment, a waitress came by and asked them, "Would you like anything to drink?"

Sanjay ordered a coke, while Tapti and Amita asked for water.

"Are you ready to order?"

"Not quite," Amita said.

"I'll be back in a few," the waitress promised.

"Maybe what he needs is a younger brother or sister to help socialize him," Sanjay hinted part jokingly part serious.

Amita rolled her eyes, and looked at the menu. "I socialized just fine as an only child. Besides, Suruli has Hugh."

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After lunch, they took Suruli to the park.

"If there is any hitting, we are going back home," Amita warned the child. "For the sake of the other children."

The three adults sat on a bench, as Suruli played with his toy cars.

"He loves the park," Amita remarked. Just then, another little boy started playing with one of the toy cars. Suruli was too engrossed in his own play to notice. Then, the other little boy decided he wanted the car Suruli had and tried to grab it, but Suruli hit him during the attempt.

"Suruli," Amita went to intervene. "What have I told you about hitting?" Amita took the car away and put it on the floor. The other boy wailed. Then, his mother came.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He hitted me!" the other little boy wailed.

"I'm so sorry," Amita said. "My son hasn't learned physical boundaries."

The woman comforted her son and left with him.

Amita told him, "Now we have to leave." Amita packed the cars, and then put Suruli, who had another car in hand, in the stroller.

So, the four returned to the Craftsman. The adults talked, while Suruli took a nap.

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Meanwhile, as he ate a quick lunch, Charlie got a call from Rose.

"Any idea when your coming back?" she asked.

"No."

"I wanted to talk to you and Amita."

"About?"

"Getting joint custody."

"Rose..."

She interrupted him, "I finally got a job, and will soon get my own place."

"Hugh's doing so well," Charlie said. "With the current routine."

"He's my son too!" she told him emphatically. "I've reformed, and have gotten my life in order."

"Let's talk about it when I return to L.A.," Charlie said. He was in a hurry to return to work. The pressure was on.

"Fine, but I won't forget," she warned.

"Okay."

Soon, the conversation ended, and Charlie called Amita, telling her about the conversation with Rose and if she could talk Rose into not insisting on joint custody.

"I don't know Charlie," Amita said. "As a mother myself, I don't think that I could do that, especially if she has her life together."

"Hugh's doing so well," Charlie said.

"Why shouldn't he do well with his mother?" Amita countered.

"What if she hasn't reformed?" Charlie worried.

"Why don't we at least give it trial run?" Amita compromised.

"Once she gets joint custody, it'll be hard to undo that," Charlie said.

"Rose may have her faults, but she's always seemed to be a caring and attentive mother," Amita said. "Remember, when we first met Hugh? He wasn't perfect, but looked well taken care of."

"At least talk her into giving us some time," Charlie suggested.

"And we gotta see what Hugh wants," Amita pointed out.

"Fine," Charlie agreed, said goodbye, and hung up.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

During dinner, Sanjay said, "Your mother and I were wondering if Suruli could spend part of the summer with us in India when he gets older."

"If he's ready," Amita said, not wanting to make any promises.

"It would be a great experience for him," Tapti said. "He'd meet relatives and see how India is like."

"I also want to take him, as well as Hugh, somewhere for the summer sometime," Alan piped up.

"I'm going to Costa Rica this summer," Hugh told Tapti and Sanjay.

"Amita told us," Tapti said. "You'll get to help out the local community and stay with a host family."

"Yeah," Hugh nodded. "And improve my Spanish."

"Maybe you could teach Suruli Spanish?" Sanjay suggested.

"Maybe," Hugh said politely.

"Sounds like a great idea," a familiar voice said. Charlie appeared in the dining room to everyone's surprise. He had a cast on his right arm.

"Charlie!" Amita ran up to hug him.

"Dad!" Hugh said.

"What happened to your arm?" Alan asked.

"I feel on a slippery floor," Charlie said. "But it's fine."

"I'll serve you some dinner," Alan got up.

"When did you get in?" Amita asked. "I could have picked you up."

"I wanted to surprise everyone," Charlie told her and sat down. "What's for dinner?"

" Lasagna," Amita replied. "Your dad made it."

"Sounds good." Charle smiled.

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The next day, Hugh's school called Charlie's cell phone.

"Your son got into a fight," the assistant headmaster said.

"A fight?" Charlie repeated.

"I'd like to talk with you in person."

"I'll be right there."

Once there, he first got the assistant headmaster's side. The latter, named Brian Bronson, led Charlie to his office.

"What was the fight about?"

"A girl."

"A girl?"

"According to witnesses, another boy accused him of flirting with his girl," Bronson began. "Then the fight happened. Your son will be given detention for five days. Since he's got a good record, I won't suspend him."

"What if my son was attacked? Doesn't he have a right to defend himself?" Charlie asked.

"Fighting is not allowed under any circumstances," Bronson said firmly. "We have a no tolerance policy of it at this school. The other boy's being punished as well."

"I see," Charlie reluctantly agreed. "Thank you."

Soon, he went to see Hugh, who sat sullenly on a chair.

"Let's go," Charlie said. "You can tell me your side of the story."

"It was that jerk's fault! I was just hanging out with my friends, when he comes up to me and accuses me of flirting with his bimbo girlfriend," Hugh began. "I just asked her about a homework assignment."

"And then?"

"He tried to punch me, but I sidestepped him and punched back. That's when we were stopped. What was I supposed to do? Be a punching bag?"

"You were trying to defend yourself," Charlie said. "I know what it's like to be picked on."

"What now?"

"The assistant headmaster just gave you detention for five days," Charlie said.

"Just?"

"It beats suspension because you wouldn't be able to make up your work," Charlie pointed out.

"Yeah..."

"I'll take you to work. You can do your homework in my office."

"Okay."

The following day, Amita asked, "Charlie, would it kill you to give Rose joint custody? Have you even asked Hugh what he wants?"

Reluctantly, Charlie did just that.

"How would you feel about living with your mother part time?"

"I'd like that," Hugh said. "I've been waiting to do that but mom wanted to get settled in her own place and have a decent job. Now she has."

"Has she brought it up?" Charlie asked.

"No."

"Wouldn't you miss being here?" Charlie asked.

"I would, but I miss living with my mom. For a long time it was just me and her. Not that I'm blaming you for that," Hugh told his father.

"Would it be difficult for you to move between two homes frequently?" Charlie asked.

"Not really. I'm good at remembering to bring the stuff I need," Hugh said happily. "It'd be the best of both worlds."

Looking into his son's eyes, Charlie made a fateful decision. "I'll talk to you mother about you living with her part time."

"Thanks dad!"

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Two days after Charlie's return, Don called him.

"Have you heard?" Don asked. "There was a plot to have a coup against the Prime Minister of Groen Haven."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"Why would I?" Charlie asked. "I consulted for Interpol."

"It was stopped in its tracks," Don said.

"I'm sure the Prime Minister of Groen Haven has her own resources to deal with the problem," Charlie remarked drolly.

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Amita's parents left a week later, having, for the most part, enjoyed spending time with their daughter and grandson, whom they adored. Amita gave them literature on Autism.

Amita continued working on her computer project, hoping it could be for helping autistic kids learn interaction skills.. At Charlie's advice, she got a consultant for the project, a clinical psychologist who had a lot of experience working with autistic children. Her name was Dana, and Amita met her though a friend of Larry's.

"This is a very good start," Dana said after testing a part of Amita's program. "Making so that the players have to interact with an AI in order to get to the next part of the game is brilliant!"

"I want to add more levels," Amita said. "So that more kids can use it for more time."

"That's a good strategy," Dana told her. "What do you plan to do with it when you're done?"

"I'm going to get a software license," Amita replied. "That will prevent others from corrupting my work."

"Don't you need to patent it?"

"I can't patent it unless I come up with totally new algorithm, that's never been used," Amita explained.

"I see," Dana nodded.

"I'm going to put up a trial version online," Amita decided. "To expose people to the game, and get feedback."

"Good idea. How much are you going to charge for it?"

"I have thought that far ahead yet," Amita admitted. "I still have a lot of bugs to fix."

"But you sure have done an excellent job," Dana said.

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Amita, and Charlie missed Hugh, whenever he stayed with his mother. Dinner just didn't feel the same without his conversation and jokes about his school day. Suruli sometimes made the sign for 'brother' to ask where Hugh was.

"Is it me," Charlie asked as they got ready for bed, "or is Surli overdue to show us his next project?"

"Charlie, the point of Montessori is for kids to work at their own pace," Amita said.

"The teachers seem pretty hands off."

"That's what we are paying for," Amita reminded him. "It was your idea."

"Suruli gets really absorbed in his playing," Charlie said.

"Why don't you go visit his class and teacher?" Amita suggested.

"I just might," Charlie said. "I was talking to a friend of mine in the biology department, and he said that he had his daughter in Montessori school, but she would read books from the shelf instead of doing her projects."

"Not all Montessori schools are the same," Amita pointed out.

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Charlie talked with the teacher the next day about his concerns, after surprising Suruli, who was working on his project.

"Would you know what percentage of the time he spends playing?" Charlie asked.

"Keeping track would be against the principles of Montessori," Ms. Anderson replied.

"It's just that I am worried that he's going to neglect his projects."

"Dr. Eppes, he's only three," Ms. Anderson said. "He needs time to learn how to balance playing and projects."

Before Charlie could say anything more, he saw, from the corner of his eye, another child bullying Suruli by grabbing the latter's supplies and throwing them on the ground.

With fatherly instincts, he ran to his son, and scolded the bully.

"Leave him alone!" Charlie told the other child, who looked to be about five.

"Thomas! What's going on?" Ms. Anderson demanded. "You will apologize to Suruli right now!"

"Sorry," the boy mumbled.

"Come with me," the teacher grabbed the child's hand.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked Suruli. "If it happens again, tell the teacher. Good thing I came. Show me what you are working on? Maybe I could help you?"

So Suruli and Charlie worked together for a while, not talking, yet bonding as father and son.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

"I think I'm pregnant," Hanna, Hugh's girlfriend, whispered during break on Monday.

"What makes you say that?" Hugh,now sixteen asked in disbelief.

"Yesterday, I went shopping with some friends. When I tried the latest Burberry perfume, it made me nauseous." Haanna said. She tucked some errant strands of her red hair behind her ears and her green eyes sought out Hugh's. "And my breasts feel different."

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe you got some stomach problem?"

"I'm gonna get an EPT," Hanna told him.

"But we always use protection."

"Not when we did it at Carl's party," Hanna reminded him.

"I swear someone spiked the punch," Hugh sighed. "I felt weird after drinking it."

"Me too," Hanna said.

"Didn't you take the morning after pill?" Hugh asked. "You said you would when I called you the next morning."

"My grandma got hospitalized, remember? I just forgot."

"Oh yeah."

"What if I am pregnant?"

"It's your decision," Hugh said. "I'll support you either way. I suggest you take the EPT before anything else. Buy it at a store you never go to."

"Okay."

She did the test twice and it came out positive.

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One evening, the following week when Hugh was with his mother, Hanna called.

"I've made up my mind."

"Are you keeping the baby?"

"Yes," Hanna said. "This morning, I went for a walk, and tripped on something. I found myself grabbing my belly. I was terrified of falling and hurting it."

"So you want the baby?"

"It won' t be easy but I'll manage. I couldn't give it up for adoption. It would be too hard, especially after carrying it for nine months. I would if I really had to, though."

"Have you told your parents?"

"No."

"I'll tell my mom tonight, and my Dad, granddad and step mom when I get back," Hugh promised.

"Okay."

So, after saying goodbye and hanging up, Hugh went to talk to his mother.

"Mom, I've got a confession to make."

"Okay sweetie. Lets talk in the living room," Rose, with concern and gentleness, said.

Soon, the two were seated.

"Mom, my girlfriend is pregnant," Hugh said to get it all over with.

Rose took a deep breath.

"Are you sure she's pregnant?"

"She took the EPT twice," Hugh explained. "She was gonna take the morning after pill, but her grandmother got hospitalized and she forgot."

"Have you told Amita, your father, and your grandfather?"

"No."

"She'll need to see a doctor right away," Rose told him. "Does she plan to keep the baby?"

"Yeah."

"How about giving it up for adoption?"

"She's not gonna do that either."

"It won't be an easy road for either of you. What about your education?"

"I could go to college part time and work to support the baby. Hanna could do the same as she'd stay with her parents."

"Looks like you've thought it through at least a tiny bit."

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"Pre-Pregnant?" Charlie repeated when Hugh, upon returning from his mother's, told him the news.

"Yeah."

"Didn't you uh...you know...?" Charlie asked.

"We forgot one time. That's all it takes." Hugh, like Hanna didn't want to get into the story of the spiked punch.

"Are you sure it's yours?" Charlie blurted out.

"Yeah! What do take Hanna for?"

"Does she plan to keep the baby, abort or put it up for adoption?" Amita asked.

"She's keeping it. My plan is to, when I graduate from High School, go to college part time, and work part time to support the baby," Hugh explained. "Hanna could do the same thing while we both live at home."

"When's it due?" Alan asked.

"She hasn't gone to the doctor."

"She should go," Alan suggested, still reeling from the idea of being a great grandfather.

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Eventually, the six adults that is Hanna's parents, Amita, Charlie,and Rose, and the parents to be met at the Craftsman one evening to discuss how things would go when the baby was born.

"The baby is due in late June, so Hanna should be able to finish the year," Jane, Hanna's mother said. She looked like an older, wrinkled, graying version of Hanna. "And she'll have the summer to bond with the baby before school starts up again."

"What about Hugh? How will he take responsibility?" Hanna's father, Daniel asked, rather sternly. "Babies aren't cheap."

"My wife and I will pay child support on Hugh's behalf," Charlie told him. "So he can focus on his studies and finish them. That way, he'll provide a better life for the baby."

"Here is the figure my husband and I came up with," Amita handed Daniel and Jane a piece of paper.

"How did you come up with it?" Daniel asked, upon seeing it.

"We calculated how much we spent on our four year old when he was a baby. Then we accounted for inflation, and divided that figure in half," Charlie replied.

"My dad is a mathematician," Hugh explained.

"I'll send the checks with Hugh every month once the baby is born," Charlie promised.

"What about Hanna's education?" Amita asked with genuine concern.

"She'll go to a local college, and live at home," Jane said. "We'll pay for a nanny."

All the adults, while disappointed that their plans for the young people wouldn't come to fruition, were determined that they two teens would still have a good future.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

_Note: Chapter 19 was edited so that Alan's role is decreased._

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Before Hugh and Hanna knew it, they had their first sonogram of their child. Amita, Charlie, Rose, and the Bellamys were there as well. Hugh had seen pictures of sonagrams, but seeing one live was very different, especially when he thought about the fact that it was his child.

"It's moving!" Hanna exclaimed. "Can you tell if it's a boy or girl?"

"Don't you want to be surprised?" Jane asked.

"No. I want to make sure I get the right clothes and stuff," Hanna said.

"It's too soon," the doctor said.

"I wanna name the baby after my dad or my mom," Hugh announced. "Depending on whether it's a boy or girl."

"That's flattering, but perhaps there are other names you could use?" Charlie suggested.

"Maybe you should ask what Hanna what she thinks," Rose smiled.

"Baby's doing fine," the doctor said, looking at the monitor. "Now you must take extra care of what you eat, Hanna. A lot is taken away for the baby even though you are still growing and developing yourself."

"I'm cutting down on my junk food," Hanna assured the Ob/Gyn.

"We've gotten a dietician," Jane said. "And make sure our cook prepares nutritious meals."

"Glad to hear it," the doctor said.

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Charlie, some weeks later, got another call from the school.

"Your son has been in another fight," the assistant headmaster said.

"Another fight?" Charlie repeated.

"Teenage politics," he told Charlie. "Hugh felt that some girl was insulting his girlfriend, and so he got into it with her, even calling the young woman a 'bitch'. Her boyfriend took offense to that, and attacked Hugh."

"Hugh is very protective of his girlfriend. I don't know if you're aware, but she's pregnant." Charlie felt that it was okay to disclose this information to a school administrator.

"That doesn't give him the right to go around being disrespectful and fighting."

"I'll come pick him up," Charlie sighed. "Will he get suspended?"

"For one day only. The other boy was suspended too."

"What about the girl who insulted Hanna?"

"A counselor will talk to her."

"Good."

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"Everyone's just pointing and staring at poor Hanna," Hugh said in the car as they drove towards Cal Sci. "Especially now that she's showing and can't go to PE. The girls are especially mean."

"How?"

"They pretend to be nice, but insult Hanna behind her back," Hugh said. "That's what happened today. I got so mad at Shannon, that the b word came right out. She called me a few things too."

"It can't be easy," Charlie sympathized. "But you have to stop getting into trouble."

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Around late June, after a long, hard labor, the baby was born. Hanna, with dark circles under her eyes, and a pale face, stroked the baby's brown hair, while nursing him. His blue eyes squinted. Visiting hours were over, and it was just her, Hugh, and Jane, for support, and as Hanna was a minor, in case of complications, one parent needed to be there.

"I think he's had enough," Hanna realized, feeling as though she had done several hundred sit ups.

"He's really into it," Hugh worried. "Are you sure?"

"I've done my research, and consulted the nurse," Hanna reminded him, and put a finger between the baby's mouth, and her right nipple.

"Let me burp him." Hugh gently got the baby from Hanna. After some effort, he burped the baby.

"You two need to think of a name," Jane reminded them, looking at the baby's bracelet. It said 'Baby Connell-Bellamy'. The young couple wanted the baby to have both their last names.

"We can't agree or make up our minds," Hugh explained. "My grandpa, and dad have this thing about naming the baby after one of them. They don't like it."

"And Hugh doesn't agree with any of the names I've suggested," Hanna tiredly explained.

"You two had months to come up with a name," Jane said, teasingly. "How about Keeland?"

"Keeland?" Hanna repeated.

"It's a Gaelic name, I got from a book," Jane said. "I planned to name you that if you had been a boy."

"I like it. What does it mean?" Hanna asked.

"Small, slender...? I forgot."

"I like it too," Hugh said.

"Great! We've got a name!" Jane grinned. "One less detail, at least, to worry about."

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When mother and baby were discharged, Hugh spent all day with Hanna and the baby, at the latter's home. At night, he'd return to the Craftsman. On Saturdays, Hanna would take the baby to the Craftsman so that Amita, Charlie, Suruli and Alan could be with him. One day, some weeks later, when Hugh arrived to the large mansion, Hanna was crying in her room, as the baby slept.

"What's wrong?" Hugh asked with worry.

"I'm just so tired. He cries and cries. I can barely sleep!" Hanna wailed.

"I'm sorry, baby." Hugh hugged her.

Jane entered to check up on her daughter. "Why don't you take him for the day, Hugh? That way Hanna can rest?"

"What about his feedings?" Hanna asked, still tearful.

"I got you a breast pump, for when you started school," Jane said. "You can pump milk now and Hugh can use it later."

"Okay," Hanna agreed.

"I'll get it," Jane said after giving Hanna a hug.

So Hanna pumped her milk, and gave Keeland to Hugh.

"I've never been so far from him," she worried.

"I'm a phone call away," Hugh assured her.

Jane reminded him, "Be sure to put the milk away in the refrigerator and put a hat on Keeland if you take him out."

"I will," Hugh promised. So, he got Keeland, his Burberry diaperbag, a gift from Hanna's grandmother, carrier, and his stroller and left for the Craftsman. Charlie and Amita were doing consulting work from home, while Suruli played. They were happy to see the baby.

"Hey!" Charlie smiled at the little one, picking him up gently. "How's my favorite grandson?"

"Hanna needed a break," Hugh explained. "So her mom suggested I take him for the day."

"Did you give Hanna the last check?" Amita asked.

"Yesterday," Hugh replied. "I'd better put the milk away."

"I still can't believe I've got a blue eyed grandson," Charlie remarked.

"Hanna's dad, and Rose have blue eyes," Amita shrugged.

Soon, the two had to return to work. So, Hugh decided to take the baby out to the nearby park. Just then, his cell rang. Charlie had gotten it for Hugh in the latter part of Hanna's pregnancy so that Hugh could keep in touch with Hanna, especially if something came up with the baby.

"Hello?"

"Hugh it's me," Jane said. "I need a favor from your uncle."

"What kind of favor?"

"As school aproaches, Hanna's father and I have to start looking for a nanny for Keeland for when Hanna is at school. I was hoping that your uncle could run the names of potential nannies through the databases he has access to when we start interviewing them."

"I'm sure he'll do it," Hugh said. "I'll call him. How's Hanna?"

"A little better. I'm taking the day off to take her shopping."

"Cool."

So, Hugh called Don, who happily agreed. As soon as he hung up, a fellow young man approached him, also pushing a carrier.

"It's so cool to meet another guy baby sitter. I thought I was the only one in this area," he told Hugh.

"Actually, the baby's mine," Hugh admitted.

"No way!"

"I'm serious."

"That's your kid?"

"Yes, it is."

"Oh...sorry."

"No problem."

"How old is he?"

"A few weeks." Hugh smiled. "How old is the kid you're babysitting?"

"Five months."

The two talked some more until Keeland started to cry piteously.

"What's wrong little guy?" Hugh asked, feeling the baby's diaper, noticing it was wet. "I'll change your diaper right now, and take you back home for a feeding."

When he arrived, there was an ambulance in front of the Craftsman.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Hugh, worried, looked for a familiar face in the choas of onlookers. Finally, he ran into his father.

"Dad? What's going on?" Hugh asked, relieved to see his father.

"Bob came by for a neighborly visit, and had a heart attack," Charlie explained. "Amita called 911."

"I thought something had happened to you, Amita or Suruli," Hugh said.

"We're all fine," Charlie assured him, as the ambulance left, and checked on the baby.

"I was gonna go feed Keeland," Hugh told his father.

While watching TV, Hugh gave Keeland his bottle, who spit up after finishing.

"Ugh!" Hugh groaned. "This grosses me out more than changing your diaper." The baby just squirmed in response.

Hugh's cell phone beeped in a high pitched squeal.

"Looks like I got a text." Hugh shrugged, and read it.

It was from Josh. "Let's do something."

Hugh responded. "Can't, w/baby."

"We could watch a movie."

"Let's do that here."

"Okay."

So, Hugh changed shirts, and put the baby down for a nap. Soon, Josh arrived.

The two paused the movie several times because of the baby's crying.

"Let's go to the Santa Monica Pier. It'll be a change of place," Josh suggested. He was the only one of Hugh's friends willing to put up with the baby.

"Sure." Hugh quickly packed the baby's things again. In his hurry, the teenager forgot to put a hat on the infant.

Santa Monica Pier had stalls, stands, street performers, games, and other entertainments. Hugh pushed the baby's stroller, while Josh walked along side. The two teenagers stuffed themselves, played carnival games. Hugh even won a large teddy bear.

"That was a lucky throw!" Josh said.

"I'm gonna give this to Hanna," Hugh smiled. Soon the three ran into a cartoonist, who had his stand, next to a dancer, who act consisted of doing contortionist movements.

"Could you draw my kid?"

"Sorry, I don't do kids," the man said.

Rolling their eyes, Hugh and Josh continued their walk, until they ran into someone who did mini sculptures of people.

"Could you do one of my kid?" Hugh asked.

"Sure."

As they waited, a man came up to them.

"I don't usually butt in, but shouldn't the baby have a hat on?"

"Oh s***!" Hugh opened the diaper bag in a panic.

"Next time you babysit, remember that babies have more sensitive skin," the man warned, and walked away before Hugh could thank him.

"Here ya go." Hugh put it on the baby. It was floppy and turquoise.

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Hugh's cell phone rang early the next morning.

"Hugh! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Huh?"

"Thanks to you, the baby's sunburned! He's in pain and doesn't want to nurse. I'm on my way to the pediatrician with my sister."

"I'm so sorry!" Hugh apologized perfusely. "I forgot his hat."

"Sorry isn't good enough," Hanna said. "He woke up crying!"

"I'm on my way to the pediatrician," Hugh promised, and got up very quickly.

"What's going on?" Charlie asked as he saw Hugh run towards the door.

"Keeland got sunburned!" Hugh replied.

"You forgot his hat, didn't you?" Amita asked.

"Yeah."

"How bad is it?" Charlie asked with concern.

"Hanna says that the baby won't nurse."

"Let us know what the doctor said."

"I will."

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"It's just a mild sunburn," the pediatrician assured them.

"He won't nurse," Hanna answered, worried.

"He'll recover soon," the doctor promised. "Next time, don't forget his hat."

"I won't," Hugh promised. "Is there anything we could give him?"

"Unscented lotion should do the trick." the kind doctor said.

They, after thanking the doctor, went to the reception area to pay a hefty fee. Hanna paid with her debit card.

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Eventually a live in nanny, who was a UCLA graduate and wanted to take time off before going to graduate school for her masters in child psychology, was hired to take care of the baby while Hanna was at school. She already had childcare experience and had the references to prove it. Don checked her records and they were clean. Before they knew it, October was nearing its end. Both Hanna and Hugh struggled to be good students and parents at the same time.

"So, you and Keeland are coming to the house for Thanksgiving right?" Hugh asked one lunch time.

"What about my family? My parents are hosting this year, and my grandparents are coming all the way from Miami Beach? Your grandpa sees Keeland almost every week."

"But.."

"Your parents, stepmom, uncle, aunt, cousin and grandpa are more than welcome," Hanna interrupted him.

"I'll let them know," Hugh said, sighing inwardly He had visions of watching the Thanksgiving football game with his father, uncle, grandfather, and Keeland, and then eating his grandfather's cooking.

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Charlie, Amita, and Suruli went to thanksgiving at the Bellamy's home. The large mansion was crowded with varous relatives of Hanna. Little Keeland, now five months old, was dressed in a blue jumper and played with two other babies his playpen. Hanna helped her parents host, while Hugh gave his family a brief tour of the mansion. It had been built in the style of a tropical mansion with tall palm tress in the front, an office white color, and a large yard.

After a while, a couple came up to Hugh.

"We'd like to speak with you and Hanna."

"About?"

"Keeland."

"What about him?"

"Let's find Hanna."

Hugh excused himself from his family, and followed the couple, until they found Hanna buslting about.

"What do you want to talk with us about?" Hanna asked Dinah. She was Jane's youngest sister and she lived in San Francisco,working as a pediatrician.

"Your Uncle and I can't have our own children, despite many efforts and treatments," Dinah told them. "We were thinking that maybe if we had to adopt, it would be ideal to adopt a family member."

Hanna was puzzled. "Why didn't you ask me before?"

"We were thinking that maybe you needed to experience motherhood to realize just how maybe how hard it is and over your head youv'e gotten yourself."

"With our parents' help, Hugh and I have managed fine," Hanna told them, a touch offended.

"Your grandma told me that the baby got sunburned," Dinah pointed out. "Because Hugh forgot about putting on a hat."

"That was one time!" Hugh grew defensive.

"And that you get overwhelmed."

"Women twice my age get overwhelmed sometimes when they have a baby," Hanna said with annoyance.

"But you're so young, you're missing out on a lot. When's the last time either of you went out with friends? Or just had a fun night out?" Ted, Dinah's husband asked. "And what about college? "

"Hanna and I are going to college," Hugh said.

"If I wanted to give up Keeland for adoption, I would have done it already," Hanna added. "I've got my parents and a nanny to help me."

"You're a child raising a child," Dinah said.

"I'll be eighteen in spring," Hanna reminded her aunt.

"Look, you and Hugh would still be able to see Keeland," Dinah promised. "Anytime you want. Your uncle and I are only a short plane ride away. Don't you miss the freedom you used to have? To hang out with friends, study, focus on yourself?"

"With us adopting you get the freedom I'm sure you'd like, but still get to see the baby," Ted said.

With, that, Dinah wrote down, on a piece of paper, her cell number. Hanna reluctantly took it.

"College is going to be very hard, especially with a kid to think about." Ted told the young couple. "Think about it."

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

When the older couple left, the two teens looked at each other.

"You're not considering her offer, are you?" Hugh asked.

"No. I couldn't part with Keeland, not now, but sometimes I worry..."

"With our parents' help, we'll do fine," Hugh assured her. "Let's enjoy Keeland's first Thanksgiving!"

During the dinner, Keeland, like the other baby, was given a little bit of food. Both made messes by putting their curious hands into it. Charlie took a couple of pictures as Hugh wiped cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes off the little one's face.

For Christmas, Keeland and the young couple spent the evening with Hanna's parents, who showered the baby with Christmas gifts.

"Keeland seems more interested in the wrapping paper," Hanna joked. Hugh got some and waved it around the baby's face to tease him.

Charlie, Don, and Alan had each given the baby presents in Santa's name earlier that day.

"Let's have a picture of Alan, Charlie, Hugh and Keeland," Robin suggested. "A generational picture if you will."

Everyone agreed. Keeland loved all his presents.

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One day, Amita came running into Charlie's office.

"Charlie! Someone's written a book about you!"

"About me?"

"Yes! It's called 'Charles Eppes: The Man and the Math'." Amita gave him the copy she bought.

Charlie began skimming the book, while Amita couldn't help but watch.

"Well?" she asked after a while.

"I know the author," Charlie told her.

"How?"

"I was his advisor before I was yours," Charlie explained.

"What about the book?"

"This is supposed to be an unauthorized biography. So far, he describes my childhood as being 'full of tutors and homework' while Don got neglected. He talked to a neighbor who didn't see the whole picture." Charlie started to get angry.

"Does he make any allegations about us?" Amita asked.

"I'm not there yet," Charlie said. "But it wouldn't surprise me. After all I did for him! Thanks to me, he got two extensions for his dissertation!"

Charlie skimmed some more and fumed. "He alleges that Don was a womanizer, and that I neglected my duties to Cal Sci to play cop!"

"What are we going to do?" Amita asked.

"Suing him for libel would just give his book publicity," Charlie admitted. "And would not take back what he wrote."

"You're right," Amita said. "I think we should tell your father and Don about the book."

"I'll call them," Charlie promised, just when his cell phone rang.

"Dad!" Hugh said in a panicked voice. "It's Keeland! He's been hospitalized!"

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

"Turns out his cold isn't a cold!" Hugh told Charlie. " He got worse, so the nanny called Hanna's mom and they took him to the hospital. Doc says he's got something called RSV."

"I'll be right there," Charlie promised. The couple made signs telling there students their respective classes was cancelled, and were soon at the hospital.

When they came into the room, Keeland was squirming and fussing, while a nurse administered some medicines.

"How is he?" Charlie asked. Hugh, Hanna, and Hanna's parents were all there.

"A little better," Hanna's mother said. "The doctor has him on some medicine, and we'll be able to take him home tomorrow."

"Hey ...?" Charlie approached his grandson with a smile. The baby looked at him. "Don't worry, you'll be out of here soon."

"I sent the Nanny to get his things, while my husband picked up Hanna and Hugh from school."

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**Five years later.**

Amita looked at Charlie, as he ate the Chinese takeout with chopsticks, wondering when she had stopped loving him. She could not remember the date. The last few years had been hard on their marriage between their disagreements about Suruli and his needs.

Halfheartedly picking at her honey walnut shrimp, she swallowed, and decided to take the leap. "Charlie, I want a divorce."

"Wha-? Why?" Charlie could not believe it.

"We argue, and are leading separate lives. Look at us. The only reason we are having lunch together is because we're working on a project."

"Amita...I know we've been having problems, but we can work them out. Look at our parents! They managed somehow, but it takes work."

"The counseling hasn't gotten us anywhere," Amita told him flatly.

"We just started it," Charlie argued.

"I'm sorry Charlie, I wanted it to work, but we've drifted apart," Amita said sadly. "I'll move out with Suruli in a few weeks."

"Where?"

"I'll find a place. We'll share custody of Suruli. Well, I gotta go. I have an interview with Wired."

"Just like that? You're going to throw away our marriage."

"Charlie, don't make this harder than it already is."

With that, she left. Charlie just sat, having forgotten about his meal.

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Two days later, the two had a heart to heart with a now nine old Suruli.

"Sweetie, there are times, when mothers and fathers can't live together anymore," Amita began. The three sat in the living room of the Craftsman. "They...change and argue too much."

"Oh." the little boy squirmed as he wanted to go back to his erectors. They, along with model airplanes, were his passion.

"What I'm trying to say is that, your father and I are separating. We both still love you very much."

Suruli just looked at her and said, "Okay."

"You'll get to be with Daddy some of the time and with me the rest of the time," she added nervously.

"Okay."

"Did you hear what your mother said?" Charlie asked, puzzled at his son's reaction.

"Yeah. I gotta go shower." The boy got up and left.

"He hasn't absorbed the news," Amita worried.

"Neither have I," Charlie thought sadly, but said, "Once he does, he'll need both of us."

Charlie eventually told Alan, Don, Robin and Hugh about the separation.

"I'm sorry buddy," Don said with sympathy. The two talked at Don and Robin's home.

"Mom and Dad's marriage lasted over three decades, despite the strain I put on it. I wanted to work things out with Amita."

"Look, you tried," Don pointed out. "By agreeing to counseling, reading books, and being understanding towards Suruli."

"It apparently wasn't enough," Charlie lamented.

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Amita eventually found a nice two bedroom apartment in a part of Pasadena known as ' Old Pasadena.'. She had a lucrative ongoing consulting job with a large production company, that produced a science fiction show, thanks to a former student, who had quit Cal Sci to get into 'the biz' and had recommended Amita. She had finished the computer program after doing research involving actual children with Aspergers and autism and now it was very popular. She made sure to buy Suruli the exact same bed he had at the craftsman, and set up his new room the same way. However, it did not prepare him for the first night.

"It smells yucky," he complained as he and Amita their first dinner in the apartment. "I don't like it."

"The apartment was fumigated some weeks ago." Amita shrugged. "The smell will be gone before you know it."

The boy frowned, and picked at his dinner.

"I know that moving isn't easy, but you'll get used to this apartment," Amita promised.

"I wanna go home."

"Sweetie, we talked about this. You're going to stay here, with me four days a week, and at your father's house three days a week," Amita told him gently.

"I don't like this place. I wanna go home!" Suruli demanded. He missed being at the Craftsman with his father and grandfather.

"Honey, look..."

"This isn't home!"

"You've got two homes now," Amita reminded him.

"No I don't."

"Yes you do. Finish your dinner."

"No!" Suruli yelled and threw a glass of water against the wall. "I want to go back home!"

"Suruli! We don' t throw things!" Amita scolded. "Go to your room!"

"It's not my room!"

"Go to the room that you'll be sleeping in tonight." Amita tried to contain her frustration.

"No I won't!" He kept throwing things against the wall all while demanding to be taken 'home'.

"Suruli! Stop!" Amita grabbed his shoulder. "Look at me!"

While trying to calm him, Amita heard the doorbell ring. Reluctantly, she went to answer it.

"Who is it?" she asked, and saw two uniformed police officers through the peep hole.

"Pasadena Police. We'd like to talk with you."

* * *

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Dreading the conversation, Amita opened the door.

"We've gotten a few calls.." one of the officers, a brunette woman, said. "About a child screaming and things being thrown against the wall."

"My son has a mild form of autism called Aspergers, and he's having a hard time adjusting to the fact that my husband and I are separated." Amita explained, as Suruli continued his very loud meltdown.

"May we see the boy?" the female officer, named Rose Gonzalez asked.

"Well...uh...sure, just keep in mind that he's only nine." Amita agreed reluctantly. So, she let them in.

"Where's your husband?"

"I don't know. Probably at home."

"Has he come here at any time tonight?"

"No." Amita answered.

"Hey there." Gonzalez gingerly approached the boy, who continued to throw things and say that he wanted to go home, though in a less intense fashion.

"Don't touch him, he'll react badly in the state he's in." Amita warned with concern.

"What's wrong?" Jake Robinson, Gonzalez's partner asked, but the boy ignored him.

"Suruli" Amita began calmly despite her frustration. "These nice officers want to talk to you."

"Moving sucks, I know." Robinson decided to try a different approach. "Especially if it's because of a divorce."

"I wanna go home."

"Where is home?" Robinson asked.

Suruli calmed down enough to give him the address of the Craftsman.

"That's a nice area." Robinson nodded. "I don't blame you for not wanting to leave."

"Where's your father?" Gonzalez asked.

"At home."

"I see." Robinson said. "You're home is a house, right?"

"Yeah"

"In apartments, everything is heard by everyone." Robinson explained.

"I'm gonna call my dad." the boy suddenly said, picked up the phone and dialed.

Alan answered it.

"Hello?"

"I want to go home." the boy told his grandfather without preamble.

"You are home." Alan said, gently. "You have two homes now."

"Could I speak to your father?" Robison asked.

Suruli gave him the phone.

"Good evening. This is Officer Robison of the Pasadena Police Department. Are you Suruli's father?"

"No. I'm his grandfather."

"Is his father there?"

"Is something wrong?" Alan asked.

"Your grandson got very upset, and he caused the neighbors concern."

As the officer was saying this, Charlie came into the house.

"My son just arrived. Here he is." Alan passed the phone, while mouthing the word, 'police'

"Hello?" Charlie asked, concerned.

"This is Officer Robison of the Pasadena Police Department. Are you Suruli's father?"

Charlie became worried."Yes, is he okay? What about his mother?"

"They're both physically fine. When was the last time you saw your son?"

"Just today, as he and his mother moved out. Why?"

"He started throwing things against the wall, disturbing the neighbors and yelling that he wanted to go home."

"I don't know if his mother told you, but he's got what is known as Aspergers, which is a type of autism."

"She did mention it, yes."

"His routine has been severely disrupted due to the move and the separation that my wife and I are going through." Charlie felt sad for the boy. "For him, routine is of utmost importance"

"He's calmed down somewhat"

"Good, can I talk to him?"

"Sure."

"Thank you, officer."

"Dad, I wanna go home." the boy told upon getting control of the phone.

"You are home. The apartment will be your home part of the time."

"I only have one home." the boy insisted.

"You mother and I told you that this day was going to come." Charlie told him gently."I know it's hard, but the time will go by, and you'll be back here, at the house.",

"It smells yucky." the boy griped.

As Charlie tried to reason with the child, the officers , seeing the Suruli had calmed down, left after telling Amita to get Suruli counseling.

"Dad wants to talk to you." Suruli told her and gave her the phone.

"I've got an idea. Hear me out before you say anything." Charlie said. " Why don't we do this. I'll move in with Dad at the guest house, while you and Suruli stay at the main house? We'll lead our separate lives, but Suruli's life won't be turned upside down."

"But it's you who grew up in that house." Amita pointed out. "I don't want to take it away from you."

"It'll only be temporary." Charlie promised.

"I already signed a lease."

"I'm not asking you to get out of it." Charlie said. "Just to give Suruli more time."

After some thinking, Amita accepted, and felt guilty about not having done enough to prepare Suruli for the upcoming changes. She had talked to him about them, and taken the boy with her apartment hunting sometimes.

After saying goodbye and hanging up the phone, Amita told Suruli. "We're going home."

"Okay." the boy seemed pleased.

"However, Daddy is gonna live with Grandpa Alan because of the separation." Amita added gently. "You'll sometimes sleep over like you have before."

"Okay."

So, mother and son packed, and returned to the Craftsman.

Suruli adjusted to the new routine: he would have dinner with Alan and Charlie three days a week, and sleep over some weekends, while staying at the main house the rest of the time.

Charlie tried to find solace in his work, but he deeply missed seeing his son every day, and being with Amita. He'd wake up, reach for her, only to find that that side of the bed was empty. After a few months, the divorce was finalized Charlie paid child support, but no alimony. Amita didn't want or need the latter. They both still co-owned the Craftsman. The arrangement stayed as Suruli seemed adjusted, happy and was doing relatively well.

Charlie started dating a police detective from the LAPD, twenty some years his junior, Sandra. They met during an investigation into a student of Charlie's, who had conned many people out of their money.

"Charlie. Why haven't we gone to your place?" she asked suspiciously one evening as they had dinner at hers.

"I live with my father in a guest house." Charlie admitted.

"Whose guest house?"

"Mine."

"Yours?"

Charlie explained. "My younger son, Suruli has Aspergers. For his sake, he and my wife live in the main house. My wife tried moving to an apartment but he got so upset that he started throwing things against the wall and yelling. Neighbors called the police, thinking it was a domestic disturbance."

"Really?" she didn't believe him.

"Look, we can have dinner at my place. I'll make arrangements with my dad. How about Friday night?"

"How do I know that you're not taking me to your guest house, while your wife is out somewhere?"

"Ex wife." Charlie corrected with a sigh. "I'll introduce you to her. ."

"I'll go." She agreed.

"Great."

Charlie left right after dinner, as Sandra wasn't in the mood to do anything else.

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The next day, Charlie went to Amita's office.

"I need a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Amita loooked up from grading.

"I need you to meet my girlfriend."

"Why?"

"She thinks that we're still married."

Amita looked puzzled. "What gave her that idea?"

"She wondered why I wasn't inviting her to my place, so I had to explain that I lived in my own guest house with my father. "

"Oh..." Amita now understood.

"And she's a cop, ..." Charlie shrugged.

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That Friday evening, around seven , Sandra arrived in the hope that her suspicions were wrong. Charlie was a very charming, considerate man, and very smart. Her training and experience made her wary. What if Charlie's wife was away and Charlie used someone else to pretend to be the 'ex wife'? What if he had lied all along about being divorced? Maybe the kid in the picture wasn't his? Soon, Charlie was there to meet her. Alongside him, Sandra saw a woman who looked to be of Indian descent, just like the kid in the picture Charlie had shown her once.

"Sandra, this is my ex wife, Amita." Charlie introduced the two women. "Amita this is Sandra."

"You look just like Suruli!" Sandra began to feel relieved,but asked. "How did you two meet?"

"I was his student, and then he became my dissertation adviser." Amita said. "Sometime after I finished it, and did another one we started dating and got married."

"Then Suruli was born." Charlie added.

"Well, I'd better get back to Suruli." Amita said quickly, feeling a bit awkard and amazed that Charlie chose someone much younger.

With that, Charlie and Sandra went inside the guest house. Charlie gave her a tour.

"My dad designed it himself." Charlie explained.

"It's a very nice place." Sandra continued. "I'm sorry I doubted you. It's just that there aren't very many people willing to do what you and Amita are doing, and I've seen lots of cons as a detective for the fraud division. They do and say all sorts of things."

Sandra spent the night, and just as she was getting out she ran into Amita and the boy, to the two women's chagrin.

"Who are you?" Suruli asked.

"A friend of Dad's." Amita told him. "Let's get you to you school."

Amita later called Charlie, telling him, "Next time you have a woman over, tell her to be more discreet. Suruli saw Sandra."

"I'll talk to Sandra." Charlie promised.

98798888888888888888

"Looks like Amita has a date." Charlie said, as he looked through the window one Saturday evening. "I see a car getting into the driveway."

"She's got a right to see other people too." Alan reminded him. ."Amita didn't agree to live in the house so you could spy on her." Suruli was in the shower

"I'm treating her like I would any other neighbor." Charlie grew defensive.

Meanwhile, Amita and her date, Aandi ,talked. His parents came from the same part of India as hers and he was a writer of the show she consulted for.

"So..uh...your ex is next door? In the guest house?"

"Yeah." Amita answered from the kitchen, as she did the finishing touches on the dinner she made. "With my ex father in law. My son stays over sometimes like tonight."

"It's an interesting arrangement..." He mused."It's great that you two can put aside your differences for his sake."

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The next morning, her date brought her breakfast in bed. It consisted of French toast, with eggs and bacon on a bed tray.

"This looks delicious!" Amta exclaimed with a smile. She had made Hugh's old room hers. As the two were eating together, the phone rang.

Amita answered it "Hello?"

"Amita, it's me." Charlie said. "I'm taking Suruli to the California Science Center, but uh...your guest's car is blocking mine."

"I'll have him move his car." Amita promised. Their arrangement was interesting indeed.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

The following weekend, Charlie took Keeland, now a first grader, to the zoo. The young boy loved looking at the animals and being with his grandfather. The afternoon went well and they went to have lunch at McDonald's. After dropping the boy off at Hanna's place( She and Hugh had broken up just after the boy turned one), Charlie returned to the guest house. Alan was at his book club, so Charlie was alone, or so he thought. Sitting in the living room was Bernice Wentworth, an NSA agent. Charlie had met her before.

"We need you to decode something for us. The NSA's best code breakers were put on this and they couldn't make heads or tails."

Charlie nodded. "I'll take a look at it. Where is it?"

"You'll have to go to the usual spot."

"I'll be there." Charlie promised.

"We'll expect you to arrive there every morning until the job is finished." she warned.

"I'll make the arrangements."

With that, she left.

09809809890809

Charlie made the necessary arrangements to get his classes covered, he asked Amita to cover his computer science courses.

"How long is this consulting job for the CHP going to last?" she asked.

"I don't know."

Charlie worked long hours decrypting the notebook the NSA had found on a potential terrorist. He barely saw his father, son, or girlfriend. To make things more complicated, Suruli got chicken pox. Amita and the latest part time Nanny, a Cal Sci student, did everything they could to make the poor boy less miserable.

"Where' s Dad?" Suruli asked his mother for the umpteenth time, as he lay on the couch, with his face full of red dots. It was Saturday, and Suruli had no energy, so he watched TV.

"He's working." Amita said.

"But it's Saturday." he protested.

"Sometimes your father does other jobs beside teaching, like me." Amita said.

Alan reminded him."It's what allows your parents to pay for your school."

"I'm gonna call him." Suruli dialed his father' s cell number.

"Hello?"

"Dad? When are you coming home?"

"After your bedtime, I'm afraid." Charlie answered. "How are you feeling?"

"It itches, but mom says I can't scratch." the boy complained.

"She's right. Listen to her."

"I made a new model." Suruli said.

"What kind of model?"

Suruli started to talk to him about the type of plane, and then the history of it, when Charlie reluctantly cut him off.

"I'm so sorry, I have to get back to work" Charlie promised. "I'll to make it up to you."

54644353

Sandra sometimes complained, as well when she and Charlie talked over the phone.

"Why aren't you at work? I visited one of your classes, but your ex was teaching it. Usually you still teach during your consulting jobs."

"This particular job has a kind of urgency for the CHP." Charlie said quickly. "So I had to take time off work."

"Okay."

98798797989978978

Two months later Charlie finished the project, and was able to spend more time with those he cared about.

"Charlie, how much longer are you gonna live in a garage?" Sandra asked him one day, as they had dinner in a restaurant.

"It's a guest house."

"Your dad said it was a garage." she teased.

"I don't know. It depends on Suruli." Charlie shrugged. "Why? Don't you like coming over?"

"I just find it hilarious." she admitted. "That you and your father live in the garage of the house you both owned."

"I still own that house, as does Amita. I made her co owner when she and I got married."

"Most people don't go into marriage thinking that they're gonna divorce." Sandra remarked.

"Yeah..." He remembered his wedding day, how beautiful Amita looked in her dress, as Larry conducted the ceremony, but then he made himself return to the present. After dinner, they went to the guest house. As they arrived on the Eppes property, Charlie noticed Alan's car.

"Oh no!" Charlie groaned. "Dad's still here. He probably forgot it was my Friday."

" It's okay. We could go to my place...?" She suggested.

"Let's do that."

Just then, a different car come into the driveway. A strange man with dark brown hair and blue eyes drove, while Amita sat in the front seat.

"Hey?" Charlie said as she got out. "Where's Suruil?"

"With your Dad, in the guest house."

"You must be Suruli's father, right?" the man asked.

"Yes, and this is Sandra, my girlfriend."Charlie said quickly. "And you are?"

"Sam."

"Well, I was going to show Sam the Koi pond." Amita said. "The lighting is spectacular."

"I installed it." Charlie informed the man. "In just one day."

"Charlie's father designed the lighting scheme." Amita added.

"Well, we were about to go, weren't we honey?" Sandra gave Charlie a look. So the two got into Charlie's car.

987987998779898

"What was that all about?" Sandra demanded as Charlie drove. "Mr. 'I installed that in one day'. "

"We happened to be on the subject." Charlie said defensively.

"And you seemed very curious about him."

"It's just that Amita was seeing this other guy, who was of Indian descent like her..."

"What's it to you who she dates as long as Suruli isn't negatively affected?" Sandra challenged him.

"I don't care." Charlie said. "It just that I get more data because I live on the same property as her!"

"What does that even mean?" Sandra asked. "Maybe you're still carrying a torch for her."

"No, I'm not. If it weren't for Suruli, I would never see her again, and she'd be living in her own place somewhere." Charlie told Sandra firmly.

Before they could argue more, Sandra got a call from work.

"Drop me off at home." she told him. "I gotta get back to work."

9080980980809

Back at the Eppes home, Amita and Sam had dinner and then went into the large bathtub together. Amita filled it with warm water and bubbles. Charlie and Amita had remodeled the upstairs bathroom a few years before, and the large bathtub was one of the many changes.

"So, this isn't weird for you?" Sam asked.

"What?"

"This arrangement you have with your ex?"

"I've gotten used to it." Amita shrugged, and got into the water with him.. She had broken up with her last boyfriend, when upon visiting him at his office, she'd caught him making out with his assistant.

As they made love in the bathtub, Charlie dropped off Sandra and drove home alone. When he arrived at the guest house, Suruli was playing with his connectors, while Alan watched worked on Soduku.

"I'm back."

"So soon?"

"Sandra had to return to work." Charlie shrugged. "Have your showered Suruil?"

"Yes."

Suruli did not look up from his connectors.

"Looks like Amita has a new boyfriend." Charlie told Alan in a whisper. "I ran into him today."

"So?" Alan asked in a challenging tone. "Why should we care?"

"I didn't say that we should." Charlie sighed, "I'm going to go shower. Suruli, remember, you're going to bed in a while, so pick up your stuff in half an hour."

"Okay."

08098098

Charlie got up from the sofa bed the next morning, Saturday, around ten. Suruli was already up eating cereal, while Alan had coffee and danishes bought from the store.

"Good morning." Charlie told them.

"Good morning." Suruli said.

Alan greeted his youngest son, "Morning, Charlie."

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. It was Amita, wearing a robe.

" Good morning everyone! Do you guys have any eggs?" she asked. "I wanna make some omelets.

"How many do you need?"

"Four."

"Here you go." Charlie got them out of the fridge and gave them to her. He could not help but feel a pang of jealousy as she returned to the main house, to her new lover.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

"So, how are things going, Charlie?" Dr. Phinias, Charlie's therapist, asked. Don, after figuring out that Charlie hadn't quite recovered from the divorce, suggested he go to therapy. The mathematician was in his second month of treatment.

"I broke up with Sandra. "

"Really?"

"It wasn't because of Amita, but the age difference. I'm over my ex wife." Charlie said. "Last night, she had a date, and I did not even care."

"She still lives next door?" Dr. Phinas, a balding man in his sixties, asked.

"Yes."

"Do you two talk?"

"Mostly about Suruli." Charlie replied. "We have to coordinate and plan. Sometimes we cover each other's classes. We're trying to redevelop the friendship we had before we even started dating, at least for Suruli's sake. We're going to be in each other's lives for quite a while in the near future."

"How are your sons doing?"

"Suruli's doing well in school; it's worth every penny." Charlie smiled. "He still needs help in relating to his peers, but his eccentricities are tolerated by his classmates. Hugh's doing very well too."

"He's a pharm rep right?"

"Yes." Charlie scratched his nose. "He has his mother's ability to sell, but uses it for better purposes. He's working hard to balance work and being a good father to Keeland"

The session continued for a while longer, and then it ended.

_The End_

**Epilogue:**

Suruli would grow up to be an aerospace engineer and would end up designing a spaceship, that would go to Mars, with astronauts in it. Hugh continued to do well at the pharma company, where he worked, and eventually became district manager. Amita eventually got even more fame for finding a planet, a rare and hard accomplishment. Maggie, Don and Robin's daughter, became a pediatrician. Don become AD, while Robin got an appointment as a Federal Judge. Keeland would go to The University Of Southern California.

**Author's note:**

I'd like to thank my Beta, and those who read and reviewed. I'm sorry to have ended the story rather abruptly, but I sometime ago came to the realization that I went beyond the original premise, which was to relate how Charlie and Amita coped with suddenly having to take care of a child, who Charlie just found out was his son from a brief fling. I'm sorry about the delays in finishing the story. My muse is very fickle. Thanks again, and feel free to check out my other stories.

D. Lerious


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